On the Home Front
Americans made many sacrifices during the war to ensure the armed forces had what they needed. Meat, butter, sugar, coffee, gasoline, tires, metal, and shoes were all in short supply. The US government began rationing items that were scarce, allowing each person or family only a certain amount, even if they could afford more. Ration books specified how much of certain items people could buy. Gas ration stickers on car windshields indicated how much gas the car owner could purchase each week. Americans planted “victory gardens,” as they had in World War I. These provided food for families and ensured that more food could go to the troops. Communities held scrap drives to collect metals and other materials for the war effort.
To help the country pay for the war, Americans purchased war bonds from the government. By buying war bonds, Americans were loaning money to the government. In return for the loan, bond holders would earn interest at a rate just under two percent. Movie stars, sports figures, and war heroes urged people to purchase the bonds as a way to show patriotism and support for the cause.
For some families, the worst news arrived in the form of a small envelope with a telegram informing them that a son, brother, father, or husband had been killed in action. More than 6,700 servicemen and women from Georgia died during the war.
