One New York Times commentator suggested that anti-mask
advocates would’ve spent World War Two shining their headlight beams into the
sky to liberate America from civil defense blackouts. They practically did. Through
the middle of 1942, bright beachfront lights illuminated silhouettes of
American coastal Merchant ships. The leisure economy was back, fueled by war
exports to Europe and Nationalist China, and resort owners were loath to give
it up. Americans were offended by the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941,
but were not yet in the mood for national sacrifice.
Sheer losses of
merchant ships along the East Coast changed the tune. Attacks by Nazi U-Boats
began in 1941 before the US entered the War, and peaked in early 1942. Referencing
the sinking of dozens of unarmed coastwise tankers, a poster proclaimed to
motorists: “Think- Sailors have died to give you this ride”.
Despite the grim loss of life, rationing of coffee, alarm
clocks, and sliced bread was lifted quickly upon popular demand. As pointed out
by Kelly Cantrell in a dissertation, magazines during the War listed recipes
with unrationed substitutes, such as corn syrup for sugar; but also featured
lavish recipes- which were practically illegal on the basis of strict ration
points. To produce a traditional Christmas feast, it was necessary to pool with another
family, stockpile canned goods (against government policy), or purchase on the
black market.
In contrast to Britons’ stiff upper lips in the face of Blitzkrieg
bombings, Americans have a long tradition of flouting the rules, and it was
certainly not limited to members of one political ideology.
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