Sacrifices on the homefront

[Steve Torres]

I am a high school history teacher in California and I am trying to make connections for my students on America's war in Iraq today to past wars. A goal of mine is to show them how different life today is for civilians living in a country at war than in WWI and WWII

Fortunately, I have some elderly neighbors (age 90) who live next door to me and tell me stories of living in America during WWII. They share how gasoline was rationed and their wedding gift from their friends were gas rationing coupons so they could have a short honeymoon in Lake Tahoe which is only 90 miles away. Great stories to share but I need more of them.

Does anyone have any good stories of rationing/sacrifices people in the US/France/UK/Germany etc... had to make during the war? Obviously French and Russian citizens experienced the war at home which is something Americans didn't have to, but I am looking for specific laws or rules that civilians have to follow.

Although my country is at war today, the only ones that are really being called to sacrifice are the soldiers in the military and their families. They only way my life has seemed to change since the start of the war is that I have to wait longer at the airport to get on a plane. Historically, it doesn't seem fair.

Thanks,

Steve in Sacramento

[John_Hartley]

Steve

Couple of links for you:-

Spartacus School net - rationing

Wolverhampton

John

(PS: If you're not familiar with it, Wolverhampton is a large industrial town in the English midlands)

[J Banning]

Steve,

I would highly recommend Richard van Emdens & Steve Humphries' book 'All Quiet on the Home Front' click HERE for a good idea and myriad stories of what life was like in the UK during the First World War. An engrossing read.

Good luck,

Jeremy

[Tony Lund]

A couple of poems appeared in the Holmfirth Express at the end of 1917 which tried to make light of the food shortages experienced at that time. Many local shops were now experiencing very severe shortages of foodstuffs. One shopkeeper was reported to have momentarily forgotten just how empty his shelves were and asked a customer “Will there be anything else?” The mere fact that the remark was considered to be worth reporting in the Holmfirth Express suggests that things must have been bad. In order to make it easier for traders it was decided to issue farthings (quarter pennies). The shortage of foodstuffs was causing a situation where food was sold in such small quantities that half pennies were no longer sufficient and smaller coins were now necessary.

The Holmfirth Express December 22nd 1917.

The New Style Christmas Dinner.

This Christmas time we thought it a crime

To spend to much money on feeding,

So you’ll perhaps fell inclined to hear how we dined

If a hint on the subject your needing.

The turkey looked good, but one half was of wood.

And the knife it was sharp for a wonder.

Father carved quite a lot from the half timbered spot

Before he discovered his blunder.

Auntie eyed the mince-pies, and the largest in size

She grabbed on before we could snub her,

And her new set of teeth came to hopeless grief

On a compound of glucose and rubber.

Then the pudding appeared, and was loudly cheered.

But occasioned a little disaster;

Mother quite lost her nerve and started to serve

The portion constructed of plaster.

As regards the dessert, I am proud to assert

Uncle helped himself more than was lawful;

We thought he would pass the black grapes made of glass.

But he didn’t, and now he fells awful.

R. H. Roberts.

Also on this page was this:

"Turkeys will be dear this Christmas. Of course, we could not expect anything else. But bear up, the vegetarians have published a recipe for making imitation turkey out of haricot beans, nut-butter, and wholemeal bread. Oh, do try to look cheerful!”

Always In Stock.

I said, “I want a little tea,

A couple of pounds will do,

And sugar and bacon and butter and lard."

But the Shopman said, “Na poo!

We stock the things that you ask about

But just at the moment we’re quite run out.”

I said, “Then give me some margarine,”

And he answered with honest pride,

“We are selling that by the quarter ounce,

Will you join the queue outside?”

But having no more than an hour to spare

I tried - with no better luck - elsewhere.

But as I jogged home I clinked my coin

Which I hadn’t a chance to blew.

And while I was reckoning what I’d saved,

The Post Office hove in view.

“War Bonds?” I asked, and got em pat.

They’re never short of things like that!

C.E.B. Holmfirth Express. January 1918.

Tony.