What was the role of price controls and rationing on the home front in World War I?

OK, here's the truth. Some items were necessary for the war effort.





Gelatin - used in Jello and ammunition. So, you got a ration coupon.


Tires - rubber was hard to get and necessary for trucks in war. VERY hard to get.


Gasoline - obvious wartime use, but also to lessen demand on other fuels necessary for war use. Diesel for trucks and generators, fuel oil for ships were big consumers.Coupon needed.





Now, why all this rationing, when we had plenty of capacity to produce?





The rationing idea brought the country together and supported the idea of a shared deprivation of certain things. The population in this country needed to pull together and were constantly extolled to give a little more effort, to buy a war bond, to volunteer to help in some drive for the war effort.





It was simply an effort to bring the country together behind the troops and government. Without the rationing, the nation might not have supported the troops or worked that extra bit that made sure the war was well supplied.





An excellent site to see and understand this topic even better: Simply thrilling to see the stamps and posters for stamp use in rationing.





http://www.ameshistoricalsociety.org/exh鈥?/a>





Another from a more humane point of view:





http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1674.h鈥?/a>





I hope this helps, Don't hesitate to email me any question on this or other topics if I can help.