Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 251

Today in World War II History—Aug. 10, 1942

Soviet naval infantry signal troops setting up communication wires, Stalingrad, Russia, 1 Aug 1942 (Russian International News Agency)

75 Years Ago—Aug. 10, 1942: Germans cross the Don River and enter outskirts of Stalingrad.

Germans begin deportation of 40,000 Jews from Lvov ghetto over the next 12 days.

Kaiser Richmond Field Hospital opens for employees of Kaiser Shipyard in Richmond, CA.

Today in World War II History—Aug. 9, 1942

Heavy cruiser USS Quincy illuminated by Japanese searchlights during Battle of Savo Island, 9 Aug 1942 (public domain via WW2 Database)

75 Years Ago—Aug. 9, 1942: German Army Group A takes Maikop oil fields in Caucasus, but finds them mostly destroyed by the Soviets.

In the Battle of Savo Island off Guadalcanal, Japanese ships sink Australian heavy cruiser Canberra and US heavy cruisers Astoria, Quincy, and Vincennes; over 1000 killed in one of the US Navy’s worst defeats ever.

British jail Gandhi and Nehru in India; riots break out which disrupt transportation.

Today in World War II History—Aug. 8, 1942

Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, photographed from a USS Saratoga plane, late August 1942 (US Navy photo)

75 Years Ago—Aug. 8, 1942: US Marines take airfield on Guadalcanal, to be renamed Henderson Field.

Lt. Gen. Dwight Eisenhower is chosen to command Operation Torch, the invasion of Algeria and French Morocco in November 1942.

Six of the German saboteurs who landed by U-boat in the US in June are executed; the other two receive long sentences.

Mohatma Gandhi makes anti-British “Quit India” speech in Bombay.

New song in the Top Ten: “I Left My Heart at the Stage Door Canteen.”

Victory Gardens in World War II

For the average American in World War II, the Victory Garden was a practical way to contribute to the war effort. Some 20 million Victory Gardens were planted (US population in 1940 was 132 million), and by 1943, these little plots produced 40 percent of all vegetables consumed in the US. It’s estimated that 9-10 million tons of vegetables were grown.

The Need for Victory Gardens

Wartime needs stretched agricultural production. The United States not only had to feed its own civilian and military population, but many of the Allies relied on America’s bread basket. In addition, U-boats sank hundreds of food-laden ships bound for Britain. While the need expanded, the number of farm workers decreased due to the draft and – ironically – due to the internment of Japanese-Americans.

Canned fruits and vegetables were rationed starting March 1, 1943, so civilians were encouraged to grow their own produce to supplement their rations. The use of fewer canned goods would decrease the use of precious tin and reduce the strain on the heavily taxed rail and road systems.

The Victory Garden Program

In December 1941, shortly after the United States entered World War II, Agriculture Secretary Claude Wickard began promoting Victory Gardens. The Department of Agriculture produced pamphlets to guide urban and suburban gardeners, magazines and newspapers published helpful articles, and patriotic posters urged participation.

Neighborhood and community committees were formed with veteran gardeners guiding newcomers. These committees also helped with distribution of surplus food and sharing of equipment. Many garden tools were made of steel, which was in short supply, so sharing between families was encouraged.

Who Could Participate?

Victory Gardens were promoted as family fun, as good healthy recreation for all ages. Farmers were encouraged to plant gardens for family needs as well as their usual cash crop. Those living in small towns or suburbs were the best candidates for Victory Gardens. Interestingly, the Department of Agriculture discouraged city-dwellers from gardening, afraid of seed being wasted on poor soil and poor lighting.

Where Were Gardens Grown?

Victory Gardens sprang up on farms, in backyards, and on city rooftops. Even some windowboxes were converted from flowers to vegetables. Communal gardens were planted in parks and vacant lots and baseball fields. Sites for these gardens included San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, the Portland Zoo in Oregon, and Boston’s Copley Square and Fenway Victory Gardens. The Fenway site is still an active Victory Garden today.

War plants often planted gardens on their properties for use in company cafeterias, and schoolyard gardens provided fresh vegetables for school lunches.

How to Garden?

The average small-town or city-dweller knew little about gardening. Pamphlets provided sample planting schedules and garden plans to show the newcomer how to grow enough to feed his family for a year without wasting seed or food. These pamphlets described how to choose the garden site, prepare the soil, fertilize, plant properly, weed, and harvest. The Department of Agriculture and the War Production Board prepared a special Victory Garden fertilizer for home use.

Preservation

The ideal Victory Garden produced fresh vegetables in season and plenty to be preserved for winter. Women’s magazines published articles about how to can, store, dry, pickle, and freeze the bounty. People were encouraged to share their surplus with others in their neighborhoods.

Victory Gardens in World War II were more than a way to increase morale. They produced a significant amount of healthy food, allowing agricultural produce to be used for the military and the Allies, and reducing the use of tin and transportation. Despite rationing, the average American ate better during the war than before. The Victory Garden was part of the reason.

Sources:

Lingeman, Richard R. Don’t You Know There’s a War on? The American Home Front 1941-1945. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1970.

The Victory Garden Foundation website, accessed 2012. (Site no longer active.)

Do you grow any of your own food? Would you like to?

Today in World War II History—Aug. 7, 1942

US First Division Marines storm ashore across Guadalcanal’s beaches on D-Day, 7 August 1942, from attack transport USS Barnett and attack cargo ship USS Fomalhaut (US National Archives)

75 Years Ago—Aug. 7, 1942: US Marines land on Guadalcanal in the Solomons; the first US offensive of the war.

Lt. Gen. William Gott, new commander of the British Eighth Army, is killed in a plane crash in Egypt.

US Western Defense Command announces completion of detention of 119,000 Japanese-Americans.

Japanese facilities on fire, Tanambogo Island, east of Tulagi, Solomon Islands, 7 Aug 1942 (US National Archives)

Today in World War II History—Aug. 6, 1942

Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands with President Roosevelt at the White House, Washington DC, 1941 (public domain via WW2 Database)

75 Years Ago—Aug. 6, 1942: Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands addresses US Congress.

President Roosevelt establishes Rubber Survey Committee under financier Bernard Baruch to study synthetic rubber program; will recommend a director to control supply and use of rubber, and the immediate construction of 51 synthetic rubber plants.

US poster urging conservation of rubber, WWII

Today in World War II History—Aug. 5, 1942

Winston Churchill, Leslie Morshead, and Claude Auchinleck at 9th Australian Division headquarters, El Alamein, Egypt, 5 Aug 1942 (Australian War Memorial)

75 Years Ago—Aug. 5, 1942: Vichy France reduces wine ration to 2 liters per person per week.

Churchill appoints Lt. Gen. William Gott to replace Gen. Claude Auchinleck over British Eighth Army in North Africa.

Today in World War II History—Aug. 4, 1942

Patch of the US Eleventh Air Force

75 Years Ago—Aug. 4, 1942: First P-38 Lightning aerial combat and victory in the Pacific: US Eleventh Air Force P-38s shoot down 2 Japanese flying boats in the Aleutians.

First trainload of Belgian Jews is deported to Auschwitz.

Movie premiere of Holiday Inn, starring Bing Crosby & Fred Astaire.

Today in World War II History—Aug. 3, 1942

Lt. Cdr. Mildred McAfee, USNR, Director of the WAVES, WWII (US Navy photo)

75 Years Ago—Aug. 3, 1942: Lt. Cdr. Mildred McAfee is named the first director of the WAVES, becomes the first female officer in the US Naval Reserve.

Today in World War II History—Aug. 2, 1942

British troopship HMT Queen Mary returning US troops from Europe, New York, NY, 20 June 1945 (US National Archives)

75 Years Ago—Aug. 2, 1942: Gandhi warns that India will welcome the Japanese if Britain doesn’t grant independence.

Troopship HMT Queen Mary departs New York with US First Armored Infantry Division (15,000 troops), the first time an entire division has been carried on a single ship, the first transport of US & Canadian forces on the HMT Queen Mary and HMT Queen Elizabeth. These ocean liners can cross the Atlantic in only five days without escort—U-boats can’t catch them due to their high speed.