Home front (part one)

FDR’s death Roosevelt had been elected to a record 4 th term in 1944 (how??)  FDR dies on April 12, 1945 (shocks nation?)  Vice President Harry Truman takes over

Mobilizing the economy  Office of Price Administration  1. fixed prices (shortage due to war)  2. rationing set up

Levittown- war housing

 Next day

War Production Board 11. allocated raw materials Limited production of bird cages, mowers (anything steel!) Cars were rationed/ carpooling 22. military contracts issued 33. build weapons of war 44. companies hired executives ($1 a year!-military) 55. Limit strikes / lockouts

 Companies given “E” for excellent by military  Coca cola (see page 461)

Financing the War  Government spending: $9 billion in 1939 to $95 billion in 1945!!!  Taxes 41% of war funding Tripled number of people paying income tax Taken out of paychecks Also taxes on consumer goods and profits

WWar Bonds GGovernment savings bonds used to finance war $$156 billion PPromoted by movie and music stars

Entertainment during the war  Radio- main source of information  Office of War Information- limited news flow

Music  Bop music- form of jazz  “White Christmas” “Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition”

Next day

Movies  Very romanticized view of war  Many movies/newsreels filmed to support troops  Casablanca, Why We Fight

Baseball MMANY professional players joined/were drafted BBob Feller, Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams WWomen’s Professional Baseball popular (A League of Their Own)

Rationing  List of items not available “for the duration”:  Zippers, nylons, some auto parts, at times tires, chocolate, cigarettes  Rationing carried out through use of stamps (passed out monthly based on need)

48 points per person

Items rationed  Sugar (Philippines)  Coffee  Meat, butter, cheese  (vitamin supplements in school!)  Shoes!  Gas, coal  cars

Other ways civilians helped  Civil defense units: civil air patrol  Victory gardens (1/3 of nation’s vegetables!!)  “dogs for defense” (mine dogs…other uses such as scouts, sentries, K-9 officers)

 Star displays- Blue, Gold  Rubber, metal, even kitchen fat drives!