Shoe Rationing! Could Americans Do It Again?
In February of 1943 the United States was entrenched in World War Two in Europe and also in the Pacific. Certain materials were needed for the war effort so the American government announced a shoe rationing program for all Americans. Leather and rubber were needed by the military so steps to control the use of leather and rubber were implemented.
Americans could only buy three pair of shoes per year under the plan to conserve leather and rubber for the military. As I was reading about the shoe rationing plan it made me wonder if our country today could even think about rationing anything today without getting a great deal of resistance from Americans.
In the forties, Americans would do whatever it took during the war effort. If they had to go barefoot they would have done it then. I am not so sure Americans today would be willing to do what Americans did then. And that's a shame.The makeup of our citizenry today is dramatically different from what it was then. The "what's in it for me" mindset is the reason I feel this country could never ask its citizens to ration anything for the cause.
Maybe when they are told what to do and when to do it every day of their life they will wake up! By then it will be way too late.