summarize: Rationing

Question

Once the United States entered World War II, Americans quickly felt its effects at home. One of the first things the government did was to ration certain goods. That is, the government took control of the distribution of these goods. Americans could buy only limited quantities of the goods. This was the only time consumer goods were rationed in the United States.

Great Britain had first rationed goods during World War I (1914–18). It also rationed them during World War II. So did most of the nations of the world.

What Was Rationed?
The Office of Price Administration (OPA) was established before the attack on Pearl Harbor. Its original purpose was to control rising prices and rents. After the United States entered the war, the OPA became responsible for rationing.

The first items the OPA rationed were automobile tires. Most of the rubber for tires came from countries in Southeast Asia. Japan’s navy quickly cut off access to those supplies.

Many other goods were rationed in 1942. They included automobiles, bicycles, typewriters, and stoves. Rubber footwear was later added to the list. So too were coffee and sugar. Heating oil and gasoline were also rationed. At first, gasoline was rationed only in the eastern states. The rationing was later extended to the other states.

Even more goods were rationed in 1943. They included leather shoes, canned foods, meat, cheese, and fats, such as cooking oil.

Why Rationing?
Rationing was begun for four reasons. The first was to ensure that the troops had enough. The military was given priority for certain raw materials. The second reason was the difficulty in finding transportation in wartime. For example, most of America's sugar came on ships; these ships were now needed to carry war supplies. The third was to guarantee a "fair share" for all consumers. The fourth was to make sure that areas far from production centers would get adequate supplies. Fair shares did not always mean equal shares. Most automobile owners could buy only 3 gallons (11 liters) of gasoline a week. But doctors, for example, were allowed more.

How Was Rationing Done?
There were three types of rationing. They involved certificates, coupons, and stamps. Local ration boards issued certificates for items that people did not buy often. Tires were one example. Ration coupons were issued for more-frequent purchases. They included gasoline and sugar. Ration stamps covered categories of foods. Red stamps were used for meat, fish, cheese, dairy products, and the like. Blue stamps were used for vegetables, canned fruits, and similar products. To buy anything, consumers needed both the stamps (or coupons) and money.

Suppliers of goods had to account for their production, inventories, and shipments to wholesalers. That is, they had to keep track of how much they produced and what they did with it. Wholesalers had to account to federal examiners for their inventories. And at the retail level, consumers had to hand over stamps or coupons for rationed goods. Shop owners had to have stamps or coupons for everything they sold. This way they could prove that they had sold it legally.

Rationing was a complicated business. It involved the handling of billions of stamps. Some 500,000 dealers and 150,000,000 consumers had to be registered. Violators made rationing even more difficult. They often faced criminal penalties. A dealer who could not account for his or her inventory usually went before an OPA examiner. The OPA could suspend the dealer from engaging in business. Violations occurred in all programs. But high-volume black-market (illegal) activities took place mainly in sales of gasoline and meat.

The End of Rationing
Coffee was taken off the rationing list in July 1943. Following the surrender of Japan in September 1945, all other rationing was lifted except that for sugar. Sugar continued to be rationed until June 1947.

It is widely believed that rationing boosted the morale of Americans on the home front. It allowed them to do something important to support America’s fighting men and women.

Answer 1

During World War II, the U.S. government implemented rationing to manage the distribution of certain consumer goods as a response to the war's impact on the home front. The Office of Price Administration (OPA) oversaw this effort, initially targeting automobile tires, followed by various other goods such as automobiles, bicycles, and food items in 1942 and 1943. Rationing aimed to ensure military supplies, manage transportation difficulties, provide fair shares among consumers, and guarantee adequate access to goods across regions.

Rationing was executed through certificates, coupons, and stamps, with local ration boards regulating the distribution. Violations of rationing rules were met with penalties and potential suspension from business for dealers. While it was a complex process involving millions of consumers and dealers, rationing is believed to have bolstered morale by enabling Americans to support the war effort. The formal rationing ended for most goods in September 1945, with sugar remaining rationed until June 1947.