There was a war on, and everyone was expected to pitch in. Even Bugs Bunny and the gang of Warner Brothers' cartoon characters got in on the effort, encouraging and maintaining morale with humor.
Certain foods were rationed, as were commodities needed for the war. Everything that could be recycled, especially rubber and steel, was.
For any of us who want to know to what extent this affected the lives of everyday people who fought the battles of the homefront, there is a history fact that speaks volumes: On this day in 1943, the sale of presliced bread was banned so as to reduce bakeries needs for metal parts.
Yes, we've heard stories of shortages during the war, but how many people think that preslicing bread could have an impact on the war effort?
When you get out a slice of bread today, take a moment to be grateful. I know I will, as much bread as my kids consume.
Today is:
Carrot Day
Do Dah Parade Day
Four an' Twenty Day, Scotland (As measured from Christmas -- does it seem like it has been that long ago to you?)
Jazz Day
Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday, celebrated on the third Monday
National Peking Duck Day
Revolution Day, Tunisia
Santa Prisca Day, Taxco, Mexico
Thesaurus Day
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Through the 25th) -- Christian
Wellington Day, New Zealand
Winnie the Pooh Day -The Birthday of Winnie's author A.A. Milne
Birthdays Today
Dave Batista, 1969
Kevin Costner, 1955
Bobby Goldsboro, 1941
Constance Moore, 1920
Danny Kaye, 1913
Cary Grant, 1904
Oliver Hardy, 1892
A.A. Milne, 1882
Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, 1856 (The African-American doctor who performed the first open heart surgery.)
Thomas A. Watson, 1854 ("Come here, Watson, I need you," said Bell)
Daniel Webster, 1782
Daigo, Emperor of Japan, 885
Today in History:
Emperor Huizong abdicates the Chinese throne in favour of his son Emperor Qinzong, 1126
Francisco Pizarro founds Lima, Peru, 1535
The first documented UFO sighting in America, by some very perplexed pilgrims in Boston, 1644
Pirate Henry Morgan defeats the Spanish defenders and captures Panama, 1671
San Jose, California is founded, 1777
Captain James Cook stumbles upon the Sandwich Islands (Hawai'i), 1778
Electro-Magnetic Intelligencer, the first US electrical journal, begins publication, 1840
Dr. William Price attempts to cremate the body of his infant son, J. C. Price, setting a legal precedent for cremation in the United Kingdom, 1884
The first shipboard landing of a plane (Tanforan Park to USS Pennsylvania), 1911
English explorer Robert F Scott & his expedition reach South Pole, only to discover that Roald Amundsen had gotten there before, 1912
Japan issues the "Twenty-One Demands" to the Republic of China in a bid to increase its power in East Asia, 1915
A 611 gram chondrite type meteorite stikes a house near the village of Baxter in Stone County, Missouri, 1916
The sale of presliced bread is banned to reduce the need for metal parts by bakeries, 1943
The Metropolitan Opera House in New York City hosts a jazz concert for the first time. The performers were Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Artie Shaw, Roy Eldridge and Jack Teagarden, 1944
Ten, again!
30 minutes ago
My mother's been writing down stories from her life for the grandchildren. When she got married, her wedding dress was made from the silk of my father's parachute. (In WWII, parachutes were made of silk. Nowadays this might not be as nice an option.) And because shoes were rationed, she walked down the aisle in high heeled fluffy bedroom slippers.
ReplyDeleteIf you're going to make do, make do with style :)