Deprivation

The book "Wartime" by Paul Fussell describes what the world endured during WWII. The chapter entitled "Deprivation" discusses the sacrifices made by citizens around the world. Necessities were very hard to come by and luxuries were almost non-existent. People saw material things as a sign of wealth and they were no longer able to buy things at their free will.

"Visible possession and conspicuous consumption had been the traditional signals
of personal distinction and even satisfactoriness in America, and now to be
told by the government that one could not buy and exhibit a new car or wear
new shoes or silk stockings or have a new extension phone installed was a heavy
blow to the psyche."

The government started rationing all goods including gasoline, food, and appliances to ensure that everyone would have. A lot of these things were no longer produced to save money and supplies for the war. The nation knew it was their duty to conserve goods and resources to help supply the troops with the supplies they needed to fight the war and keep our country safe and free. The British natives had a worst time than Americans because a lot of their food and supplies were imported from overseas and the ships carrying their supplies were blown up during their journey. Their necessities were deficient and they often were forced to eat rabbit, cat, and dog to survive.