British war propaganda artwork online | Forums

[b34856]

Some of the "economy & recycling" measures were really just morale boosters, giving the public a way to feel like they were doing something to contribute to the war effort. I can't remember if bones were one of these or they really needed them, but the used tyre drive in the US harvested many more tyres than they could ever use. They none-the-less continued with it because it boosted morale so much.

The US governments was very good at this type of morale boosting kind of thing, mostly from the Great Depression, things like the "Fireside Chats", etc. The methods were really interesting, one of the main points of some things like these was actually, counter intuitively, to make the public suffer .For example, many small town were forced to give up their old Civil War cannons and things like that that meant something to them, which made them feel like they had something invested directly in the war. Another example was rationing of some things. Rationing of things like meat and gasoline was legitimate but things like Sugar and flour were rationed for no real reason other than to, as mentioned, to make the public suffer. There was no shortage of sugar and flour. Since sugar was used to make things like cookies and pie, with rationing, there would be no cookies and pie, which like the cannons and steel, would make them feel like they had sacrificed something for the war.
Same sort of deal with war bonds, although those were legit, people had invested int the war and had a reason to hope that it would be won and support it.

I can't really speak for England, rationing and the like might have been more legit.

[Crazy_Goanna]

Saving bones = making glue perhaps?

RedToo.

Possible result- Good call!!

[major_setback]

Smashing!!!

Anson?
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._1939-1946.jpg

[FlatSpinMan]

On the topic of needless suffering, I used to teach a Chinese woman who had grown up in China under Mao and could recall having to donate her frying pan to the local neighbourhood "steel works"
in order to make some national steel production tonnage. Insanity.
Memorably, I once asked her for her recollection of the day JFK died (we were trying to practise past tenses). Anyway, she said, "I remember the teacher wrote on the blackboard - The American President is dead. We all cheered."
That gave me pause to reflect upon the slant of reportage and history. Really took me off guard.

[Messaschnitzel]

Saving bones = making glue perhaps?

RedToo.

Another possibility for its collection was to grind it up and make bone charcoal dust for case hardening products made from cheaper soft machine (mild) steels such as spur gears, shafts, screw fasteners, etc. I tend to think that since everything at that time was on a wartime production schedule, using any materials (like bones or leather scraps) that might possibly substitute in place of other needed materials would've been considered in spite of potential trouble that might arise in its collection and use. Heh, maybe they ground the bone up and used it to stretch out the flour products available on the home front. (Mom, why does the Wonder Bread taste chalky?)