From Rationing To Prosperity
By Willy R. Wilkerson III. Excerpt from the book 'All-American Ads of the 40s', edited by Jim Heimann
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At night, motorcycle police patrolled the streets on the West Coast. If a patrolman saw a light on in a window, he would immediately go to the house and tell the occupant to turn it off or curtain the window. If there was a light illuminating an address plate and no one was home, the policeman would fetch a rock and smash the light.
This was 1941, and America was at war. There was a blackout in effect after 6 p.m.
The year before, Oldsmobile proclaimed it had produced the "Most Modern Car In The World." But now car manufacturers retooled to make tanks, 102,351 in all, and built a whopping 2,455,964 trucks for the Army. Women assembled bombers that their husbands and boyfriends would fly to the front lines. During the war, for instance, Boeing built 12,731 B-17 bombers. Buick manufactured radial engines for the Liberator Bomber and said proudly in its ads, "She's Got Four 'B's' In Her Bonnets!" Cadillac advertised, "We've Put 44 Million Man Hours In The Air!" Chevrolet, involved in producing transport trucks and planes, advertised, "The Biggest Transport Job Of All Time." Goodyear Aircraft built U.S. Navy blimps they advertised as "Military Secret!"
Posters reading "URGENT! YOU MUST HELP! You must not fail these men!" put out the call to nurses to come to the aid of their country.
There was the fear that the enemy would counterfeit American money. La Monte Safety Paper allayed such fears by advertising that its paper was on the forefront of stopping such a threat. During the war, the food industries, such as Baby Ruth Candy, campaigned, "Food Is Fuel For Victory."
Although many companies had switched to manufacturing products truly essential to the war effort, Coca Cola and Chesterfield Cigarettes made it known that their products, too were indispensable. Coca Cola pronounced "I'm Loyal To Quality" while Chesterfield Cigarettes urged consume
At the beginning of the war, American merchant ships were being sunk in record numbers off the East Coast by wolf packs of German U-boats. The War Department issued posters warning the public to guard against loose talk. Posters went up everywhere, including bus stations and in tram terminals - of a drawing of a ship sinking with the slogan underneath, "Loose Lips Sink Ships." Another poster said, "Don't Discuss Troop Movements, Ship Sailings, War Equipment."
Page [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
Page [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
At night, motorcycle police patrolled the streets on the West Coast. If a patrolman saw a light on in a window, he would immediately go to the house and tell the occupant to turn it off or curtain the window. If there was a light illuminating an address plate and no one was home, the policeman would fetch a rock and smash the light.
This was 1941, and America was at war. There was a blackout in effect after 6 p.m.
The year before, Oldsmobile proclaimed it had produced the "Most Modern Car In The World." But now car manufacturers retooled to make tanks, 102,351 in all, and built a whopping 2,455,964 trucks for the Army. Women assembled bombers that their husbands and boyfriends would fly to the front lines. During the war, for instance, Boeing built 12,731 B-17 bombers. Buick manufactured radial engines for the Liberator Bomber and said proudly in its ads, "She's Got Four 'B's' In Her Bonnets!" Cadillac advertised, "We've Put 44 Million Man Hours In The Air!" Chevrolet, involved in producing transport trucks and planes, advertised, "The Biggest Transport Job Of All Time." Goodyear Aircraft built U.S. Navy blimps they advertised as "Military Secret!"
Posters reading "URGENT! YOU MUST HELP! You must not fail these men!" put out the call to nurses to come to the aid of their country.
There was the fear that the enemy would counterfeit American money. La Monte Safety Paper allayed such fears by advertising that its paper was on the forefront of stopping such a threat. During the war, the food industries, such as Baby Ruth Candy, campaigned, "Food Is Fuel For Victory."
Although many companies had switched to manufacturing products truly essential to the war effort, Coca Cola and Chesterfield Cigarettes made it known that their products, too were indispensable. Coca Cola pronounced "I'm Loyal To Quality" while Chesterfield Cigarettes urged consume
At the beginning of the war, American merchant ships were being sunk in record numbers off the East Coast by wolf packs of German U-boats. The War Department issued posters warning the public to guard against loose talk. Posters went up everywhere, including bus stations and in tram terminals - of a drawing of a ship sinking with the slogan underneath, "Loose Lips Sink Ships." Another poster said, "Don't Discuss Troop Movements, Ship Sailings, War Equipment."
Page [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
All-American Ads of the 40s
Flexicover, 19.6 x 25.5 cm (7.7 x 10 in.), 768 pages
$ 39.99
$ 39.99
Amazing artifacts from the postwar buying frenzy
