A few days ago, I found this poster my grandfather once told me about from when he was in the army in WWII. It was meant to remind soldiers not to talk about troop movements or activities to anyone, not even family. Messages could be intercepted and used by the enemy.
While I was on the website, I looked around at some of the other posters. Since then I have been inspired and challenged by the ones directed to women. We're all familiar with Rosie the Riveter:
Think about it: With no dishwashers, disposable diapers or anything we would recognize as a washing machine, they went to work to fill the jobs men had left to join the fight. Women were not allowed in combat, but filled what jobs they could in the military. They planted "victory gardens", to supplement rations and so more food could be sent to the troops. It blows my mind to think about what I have now, and what they did without.
It also makes me think about what they had that we have to do without. Things like unity, a good work ethic, and the knowledge of what it means to sacrifice for the common good.
If you'd like to see more of the posters, click here.
Wow, makes you think, doesn't it? WWII caused the nation to have those qualities we no longer see. I wonder what it will take, to get them back?
ReplyDeleteI've pondered that myself. Sometimes, in the younger generation, I think I see echoes of those qualities. But I think if we ever do get them back, on any kind of a large scale, they won't look the same as they did then. Think we can have the same values, but with air conditioning this time?
ReplyDeleteHm. Now that I think about it, maybe not. Something about the sweat of your brow and a hard day's work - maybe that's where it all came from in the first place.