Question

History:

Interpret how would it be living through World War II? In short, how did people deal with the events taking place during those war years? Moreover, do you think the war meant different things to people living in different countries?

Minimum 250 words

Answer 1

It depended, on places.

Some people made large fortunes trading with the bellingerent sides, and there was a quite large divide in society, especially before Stalingrad, where the upper classes quite openly took the Axis side.

First then, shortage and rationing. Food was limited in quantity and restricted in variety. One remembers reconstituted Orange Juice, dried eggs (and pickled eggs) Keeping chooks for their eggs. Black market in food. Many treats were not available, Chocolate for example (was limited until well after the end of the war, I remember being amazed at the selection of Chocolate on sail at the railway station Calaise on our first trip to Europe in the late 1940s). Similarly my first exposure to the full English Breakfast at an Hotel in York.

Air raids - the threat was ever present, many nights spent sleeping in an Air Raid Shelter. Waiting for the “All Clear” mandatory carrying of gas masks, in their cardboard boxes and the testing at school. The impact/disruption of the bomb damage, I mean to have ones favourite Toy Shop destroyed and forced to temporary premises. Salvaging bomb fragments, bullets etc.

News of the progress of the war. Assiduous following of the war news on the radio and in the papers - hoping for some good news - keeping scrapbooks with newspaper clippings.

Schooling - schools closed for a while until shelters could be built. Schools dispersed to private homes until the shelters were built. Children from London relocated for relative safety. Most of the male teachers away at the war, slowly to return with their war stories after the war.

Almost evry aspect of the life was affected . But it depended on geographical locations of the country, there dicisions etc.