Coronavirus Has Parallels With WW II's Home Front-- Part 2: Toilet Paper the Hawaiian Way

A big pressure today with the "V" is the hoarding of toilet paper.  This was also a problem of sorts in World War II, however, it was more of a problem with a smaller supply of the commodity rather than an increase in demand as we are having.

The TP problem was especially acute in the Hawaiian Islands.  The lack of trees on them and the fact that paper was used for packaging and transporting weapons, ammunition and blood plasma.

Instead of toilet paper, Hawaiians cut strips of newspaper for bathroom use.  If the person cutting the strips was especially kindhearted, they might crinkle and unkrinkle the strips to make them softer to make them softer.

We are also seeing current shifts in automobile production as Ford Motor Co. is now making ventilators and respirators.  During the war, the auto industry really did an about face.  No new cars were made between 1943 and 1945.    Automakers built jeeps, tanks, trucks and airplanes.

--GreGen