BlairAndCernyFamilie..

about 201000 acres of land at the west edge of to*rn
and at the height of production durning World t{ar II
enployed about 141000 persons. World VJar II was a
national trauma.
Hcrld War I had caused a major national nroblization
of manpower and resources. Yet it was fought mostly
in the trenches of France, and it ended the next year
after the United States became fully involved.
World tlar II was the ultimate so far in terms of
being a global struggle. America had to fight on two
fronts--a sea and island war in the Pacific, an air
and land war in Europe.
Over 16 million Anericans served in the armed forces
during the five year period fronr l94l to 1946. Hore
Anericans were killed in World lllar II than were killed
on both sides during the bloody Civil War.
It was the total involvement of the country in the war
effort that made those years so mernorable. Gpsoline
and food was rationed. hlhen you went to the grocery
store or the service station you had to take the right
amount of ration stamps with you. They were as essentr'al
as money and harder to come by.
Many consumer goods were in short supply--various type of
clothing (particularly nylon hosiery)r automobi les tires,
shotgun and ri fl e shel I s. Auto factori es turned to bui I ding
tanks, trucks and other vehicles for the armed forces
of our country and our allies, so they turned out no new
passenger cars in 1J4J, 1944 and 1945.
Hany people were forced to work trro jobs. There were wage
and price controls because there was more denand for many
uprkers and goods than there were workers and goods avai l -
able. Rents were also controlled because of shortages of
housing. l,lithout the controls inflation h,ould have been
rdnpant. l{ar bonds were a big item. The government
pfeaded with individuals to buy those bonds to finance the
war effort. Entertainers and returning war heros appeared
at rallies across the nation to encourage bond buying.
For that four years of World l{ar II the people of America
were probably more united than they ever had been before
or have been since.