WWII and the US/UK

[book_lover]

We were talking about this over dinner last night. Some friends were round and we were wondering what theme to have for the cocktail party (we've decided '30s - '40s now, so fairly flexible for people wanting to dress up!).

Anyhow, they had assumed I wanted the party to be UK based (but tbh I was thinking more about America, Hollywood, etc.) and one friend said "better make it the 30s, it was more oppulent then in Britain."

My Gran and Grandad grew up in the '40s through WWII, and they were very hard times. They lived in a mining village in North East England. They WERE very much working class, but practically everyone fell on hard times, with the introduction of rations and so on. People ate very bland diets (but became incredibly thrifty and resourceful, and actually the WWII diet has been suggested by some to be a FAR healthier alternative to today's more cosmopolitan diet, due to it's simplicity and the small portions!). I have to say though how impressed I am when I look at their old photos - not a hair out of place. All about being glamourous and looking fantastic with no money I guess.

Excuse my ignorance then, but was it LESS austere and more oppulent in the US during the '40s? Were there rations? Were people short of money? All I have to go on is the Hollywood image - and I'm guessing that isn't very representative! Some of my friends last night were suggesting that there was a lot more fun and oppulence over the water than there was here during the war. Although I realise that there must have been terrible things happening, with people losing their loved ones and so on.

Just intrigued! And like I said, please excuse my ignorance on the matter. I hope this post isn't somehow offensive in any way

Bookie

 

[Caledonia]

From what I've read, yes it was less austere (in terms of availability of resources) in the US during the 40s, but economies still had to be made, and remember they were hit hard by the Depression in the 30s, harder than us I believe. Examples are: while materials for clothing weren't as restricted as ours, cloth still had to be used well so that as much could go for military use as possible. American fashions were envied by the British though, through those years - a little bit longer, a little more flare etc. Our problem was principally because as a small country we imported a lot of things, food in particular. With U-Boats all over the place supplies couldn't get to us (they either couldn't get through or they were sunk) so we had to go onto strict rationing to tide us over. While fish wasn't rationed, the UBoats in the fishing waters made it difficult for our fishermen to bring in a haul. Hence queues for the little bit of fish that became available every so often. But basically, the US is much bigger than us with greater availability of resources, so it was a little easier. Economies of scale really. Both the US and the UK were heavily into the Make Do And Mend principle so that metals, paper, cloth etc could go for military supplies. And in the end we girls benefitted when the US soldiers arrived here with supplies of nylons, perfume, chocolate! So it's a good job they had a little bit to spare.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

As a reference,

http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/0-9/1940house/

is as far as I understand it, quite accurate as to how things were in Britain in the 1940's, and it does cover some of the points Caladonia has made.

Might be worth a rental or a look see.

Denise

 

[BigSleep]

And in the end we girls benefitted when the US soldiers arrived here with supplies of nylons, perfume, chocolate! So it's a good job they had a little bit to spare.

Reminds me of an old saying your Tommies used to say about us Yanks.

"They're over fed, over sexed, and over here." :eusa_doh:

This was not said with a smile.

 

[book_lover]

This was not said with a smile.

except perhaps by my Grandmother on my Father's side. This was how my father came to be made! I'm not in touch with him at all (never have been - we got out when I was 6 months old), if I were I'd love to know more - it would be a fascinating story.

 

[Caledonia]

Reminds me of an old saying your Tommies used to say about us Yanks.

"They're over fed, over sexed, and over here." :eusa_doh:

This was not said with a smile.

They were! Vis a vis Bookie's post above. And then the divorce rate went up! Ref Reader's Digest, Yesterday's Britain. No offence meant though guys. We were all in it together.

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

Well, the U.S. mainland wasn't bombed or blockaded, that was a big difference. And the defence buildup meant a lot of new well-paying jobs.

 

[Harp]

GI Jive

I think that Brit quip was: "Over-paid, over-sexed, over-here...."

 

[skinnychik]

Band of Brothers

...and remember: flies spread disease, so keep yours closed!

 

[Dixon Cannon]

A couple of points....

You have to remember that the Great Depression had devastated the lifestyles of many middle-class folks, so austerity had become a way of life. My Mother told stories of living on potato soup for a week to feed a family of four. Each night she'd thin it a little more with some milk and water. Many, many people didn't fair much better.

Two main issues stand out in America's weathering the war years. One is war production. Many previously long unemployed people got good paying jobs with plenty of overtime in the war production factories. These factories produced every conceivable thing -not just airplanes and tanks. So average folks began to have some spendable income and entertainment, for average folks, is a big thing. Yes there was rationing of war materiel items and certain essentials, but liquer flowed and Big Band dances were a happenin' thing!

The other issue to consider is simply the fact that America did not sustain any direct attacks on the mainland that disrupted production, distribution and consumption. The trains ran, the buses ran, there was gasoline (in limited quantities) and people could go daily to the same job at the same location. Thing hadn't been destroyed or damaged as they had been in Britain in the early days of the war. There were no buzz bombs dropping on New York or Chicago over the next five years.

I think many Americans at that time lived with a devil may care attitude as it must have seemed like the world elsewhere had gone insane. I had an Aunt who was a bobby-soxer, and that was certainly her attitude. After a decade of depression and unemployment, the war brought a kind of insane prosperity to many who were ready to spend, spend, spend - for who knows what tomorrow may bring! All the while men were dying in practicaly every other corner of the world. It must have been surreal!

I still have some ration books and stamps left over from those days; a reminder that thing were "austere". But the stories I've heard tell something different.

-dixon cannon

 

[book_lover]

thanks guys, that certainly makes things a bit clearer. The potato soup thing sounds familiar too! (or lentil, or split pea...). Sounds like it was all in the attitude, sounds really swinging!

 

[BigSleep]

I think that Brit quip was: "Over-paid, over-sexed, over-here...."

You are absolutly right!
Was thinking about that this morning.