'There's toilet paper at the A&P!'

In Paul Fussell's book Wartime, on page 197 of the chapter titled 'Deprivation' is quote that ably depicts the way WW2 turned America's social-economic structure upside down. The shortages of almost everything became so severe, it led to some unusual behavior:

"A neighbor woman, an otherwise normal, modest woman, came running down the street one day shouting at the top of her lungs, 'There's toilet paper at the A&P!' "

In this day and age of conspicuous ( some say obnoxious) consumption of consumer goods, it may be hard to understand what is like to do without. But in WW2, almost everything was rationed. It certainly gave people appreciation for what they did have...

Gender roles and the war

"The wartime employment of women led to a more radical redefinition of female roles for an audience most likely to have remained in the home...Women played the important role of peacetime virtues and family life, which came to be equated with security, stability and prosperity." (Honey, 7)

During the war, women were asked to take the place of their men, to do their jobs and support the men at war. At the same time, they were still running the household and expected to do so. During and after the war, women were seen as a safety. Soldiers had a vision of women as caretakers with traditional values and after the war, the women were expected to go back home and preserve family life. People were searching for some form of stability and normalcy, and soon there came the desire to restore family values and the traditional home life.

Get back to the Kitchen Rosie!

The documentary entitled the "Life and Times of Rosie the Riveter" was a feature length documentary made by Connie Fields, about the women who entered the work force at the urging of the United States Government during World War II. What most people tend to talk about when addressing the cultural significance of Rosie the Riveter as a icon in Popular Culture is how this figure was used as a representation of a quote on quote every woman of the day who went out and did what was required to bring her man home. What most people don't talk about is how the character was downplayed after the war to demobilize the women back into the kitchens and out of the factories and shipyards. What an example of the use of propaganda. how can you convince a massive group of people to come out of the household and into the workforce and then a few short years later tell them the exact opposite and be able to justify it with a straight face. The image of Rosie the Riveter was a more masculine one during the war. All images of her had the woman making a muscle and with the slogan "WE CAN DO IT" above her. After the war this picture was downplayed in favor of images that showed women getting back into0 the domestic sphere.

"Don't Waste It"

During World War II rationing of goods was not limited to United States civilians. According to Chapter 14 Deprivation of Paul Fussell's "Wartime" foreign countries with resources invested in the war effort as well as the soldiers themselves felt the limitations during the war. Frivolous items were first rationed and with the continuation of the war effort everyday items such as food and drinks became scarce and ultimately rationed. Involved in the war two years earlier than the United States, Britain began to ration and limit food before. The Ministry of Food used slogans as ammunition against the wasting and potential misuse of food which should not be taken for granted. One slogan reads:
"FOOD IS A MUNITION OF WAR. DON'T WASTE IT," pg 201

Gulf Vietnam

"...refined their plans for controlling media coverage of the coming conflict, they were said to be propelled by the notion that an uncensored American press had "lost" the Vietnam War by demoralizing the public with unpleasant news." (David Halberstam, pg.112)

This quote is a short explaination of how it was easy to compair the gulf war of the early 90's to the Vietnam War. Much like the gulf war, many questioned our involvement in the war. As expressed in the text, vietnam was one of the first wars that the media was unanimously against, so a propaganda approach, defending our governments decision was hard to find. Vietnam Syndrome is sybolic to the medias protest to supporting America when historically the media was used as a tool for America to spread propaganda and gain support during times of war.

I was putting away Bob's civilian clothes

On page 111 of the World War Two packet is an advertisement for War Bonds. There is a picture of a 'typical' American housewife of the period in front of her son's closet, holding a tweed jacket of his , a far away look in her eyes as she no doubt is contemplating whether he is OK. The ad copy reminds me of the speeches the 'four minute men' gave in World War One, with the woman giving a calm, yet impassioned plea for everyone to buy War Bonds to increase her son's chances of coming home alive:

"The least we can do, I thought, was to give these boys the guns, tanks, planes and ships they must have to conquer...and live."

The ad was paid for by the Bristol-Myers Corporation, 'in cooperation with the drug, cosmetic, and allied industries'. It would be easy to be cynical and criticize the ad as blatant proganda, what with a demur housewife talking about tanks. But this ad was published in 1943, at a time when Americans were dying by the thousands across the Pacifc and in North Africa, and the outcome of the war was very much in doubt. The Wars fought by the U.S. in the past twenty years seem comfortably remote compared to WW2, and I believe in the sincerity of this ad. Rich and poor, black and white, Catholic and Jew, were united to degree not often seen these days, united by fear, more than anything else. Fear for their sons, and to a lesser extent, fear for themselves and their way of life.

Manipulation On The Public

The CPI the committee of public information can also be considered another form of public manipulation. The committee was orginal formed to moblize the public's opinion.

"Timid advisors will urge secrecy"

This quote basically states that publicty would encourage war. This orginization was organized for the sole purpose of propaganda campaigns.CPI was to influence American public opinion toward supporting U.S. intervention in World War I.The committee used newsprint, radio, telegraph, cable and movies to broadcast its message. There also was a volunteer services corps, called the Four-minute men who also aided in the manipulation.

“We want a public opinion based on the happenings of the moment” (Public Opinion in the War, p.191).

Propaganda must relate to what is present to get the best output from the public, they must capture the public’s attention to what is going on at the present time.

OWI Magazine War Guide

"The more women at work, the sooner we'll win the war." That quote was directed towards the housewives and homemakers who do not work outside of the home. Women were encouraged to fill the vacant positions at grocery stores, gas stations, and any other places that were in need. They were encouraged to all they could to help the economy as well as the war machine in the U.S. The War Guide gave women suggestions on services that were needed from them and how to streamline their housekeeping duties in order to have more time to give to "war jobs." (P.3)

Women At The Helm

“Posters hint at the extraordinary efforts mounted by mostly middle-class women to mobilize in support of war. What the posters do not reveal is that at the outset of the war, faced with the government's foot dragging in implementing a plan for women's service, national women's leaders.” (Document #32)

Before the first World War, the establishment of the Army and the navy opened a door for women in the military. Although, it was only open enough for the wind to blow through. It wasn't until the United States got involved in World War I that the government got serious about using women power.

Women ended up playing a big part in this mobilization of the Great War. The Media and the government went hand in hand. Media such as posters showed powerful images of women, that the public began to understand that women were just as important than the men during this time period.

The “I Want You For US Army” poster back in 1916 was possibly the most famous poster ever created by the hands James Montgomery. He was able to portray Uncle Sam as a figurehead to ask people to join the army by going to the nearest recruiting station available. It never said anywhere on the poster that only men can recruit. So I guess the poster further justifies the fact that both men and women can join the US Army without hesitation.

Innocence Lost or Taken?

"For this reason, he conjectured, older men could easily fight the coming war, this time sparing the young." (Wartime, P. Fussell, page1 chapter 1)

Doesn't it seem strange that in times of war we rush to get young men all over the country to fight? We get the most inexperienced to take part in what can only be described as the most horrific situation a man can handle.

These young men probably can't drive, likely have never voted, can't legally drink and have barely figured out what it means to be a man; yet we give them a gun and send them off to die in the name of freedom.

It would make more sense to send an older man, an experienced individual, someone that’s been around the block a few times. The older man will likely have common sense,a better understand of the world, and a stricter moral fabric.

Every war brings with it tales of broken men, stories of cowards leaving their men behind on the battle field, or some stupid kid shooting someone he isn’t supposed to. All this is done in the great effort to keep the United States safe from the evil-doers.

But who are the evil ones; those willing to kill in order to take away are freedom or those that are willing to sacrifice the innocent to keep it.