Rationing During World War II

During the years of World War II, the citizens of the United States were required to endure the rationing of many goods that we hold dear now, including certain foods (meat, coffee, sugar, processed goods, etc), gas and shoes. It's hard for those of us who live during this "time of plenty" to understand how our grandparents lived with less all for the war effort.

After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the government began to mobilize to join the fight in the Pacific and in Europe. As the country geared up for war, officials in the government realized that many common items, like tires, gas, shoes, coffee and sugar, would become scarce.

Wartime required a large quantity of manpower and natural resources. Manufacturing of household goods and vehicles came to a halt early in the war effort. Factories retooled to build airplanes and tanks. The government redirected material once used to make toasters and other common household items to military requirements.

Other items, like rubber and coffee, originated from islands in the Pacific. The moment war broke out in the Pacific, these items were almost impossible to get, thanks to the Japanese occupying certain islands and their sinking of many cargo ships heading towards the US. It didn't help that many of the same ships used to deliver items from overseas were reassigned to war duties. Gas rationing began not because of its short supply but to help regulate the wear-and-tear on tires and conserve rubber, though supplies of gas were limited in many areas of the US.

The federal government decided that these items required special handling to make sure everyone received an equal amount, no matter their income or status. President Roosevelt asked the Office of Price Administration (OPA), the same department that controlled product prices and rent, to oversee the rationing effort and control prices.

In turn, The OPA created local ration boards to control rationed goods in their surrounding area. A ration board's duty included handing out ration books for food, shoes and gasoline, investigating reports of fraud and doled out scarce items that were not covered by the ration book program, (e.g. tires, large household items, etc.). If a person needed an item that was on the ration list, like a new stove or a tire, they were required to report to the ration board, state his or her case and wait for the board to either approve or deny the request.

The public and government held the OPA under constant scrutiny throughout the war years. Though the public was unhappy about rationing, they considered it part of their war effort. The constant barrage of radio and print advertisements helped to remind people to do their part to "support the troops". The local ration boards did not escape the public scrutiny either. There were many complaints about ration boards being too stingy with the available goods. It didn't help that many times, neighbors would use the boards as a tool of revenge against another, pointing fingers and making accusations of fraud.

Many historians now believe that rationing was one of the greatest moral boosters of the war, allowing the "everyday man and woman" to do something to support their boys overseas. It's a common belief that the Allies would have lost the war without the extra supplies and resources that became available to the military through this program. To this day, the homefront effort is still looked upon as a prime example of the citizens of the United States being able to banding together and work as one to fight for peace.