In the years following World War II the American household changed dramatically. Not only was the birthrate exploding, but housework was transformed by technology. The new modern household now included many electric appliances designed to make housework easier. The electric waffle maker, coffeemaker, eggbeater, egg timer, toaster, and dishwasher all came into common use. The appliances in the average household cost a total of more than two thousand dollars.

Source: Elaine Tyler May, Homeward Bound: American Families in the Cold War Era (New York: Basic Books, 1988).

Shortages and Scrap.

Consumers also endured shortages in favorite goods during the war. Coffee was scarce because the ships that normally carried the beans north from Latin America were carrying goods to the front. Cigarettes were difficult to find, as they too made their way to the battlefield. Alcohol, used in explosives, was less available to...