One of the worst mistakes committed by a U.S. President was Lyndon Johnson trying to fight a war in Vietnam without inconveniencing the people of the United States. No sacrifices were demanded of anyone except those gallant and patriotic military forces who would have won that war had the politicians not attempted to manage it from Washington. Consider the differences in the home front during the Vietnam conflict and during the wars we have fought since to what was endured during World War II. Rationing might be a good place to begin. Rationing? What’s that?

During World War II, gasoline was rationed. Owners of cars with engines of 100 hp or more were entitled to 5 gallons a week. Those with cars that had less powerful engines could purchase 3 gallon a week. Farmers could get extra gasoline to keep their equipment going. My older brother, Ted, parked his car in front of his house on West Sycamore Street. Usually no more than three gallons of gasoline were in its tank. One night someone stole the gasoline, and, in the process of siphoning the fuel, the thief lost his wallet. Ted found the wallet the following morning. In addition to identification papers, it contained $30.00! An advertisement in the Zebulon Record failed to get a response from the owner, so my brother thought it was a very fair exchange. $30.00 for 90 cents worth of gasoline!

Tires became precious commodities. You were allotted five tires for each automobile you owned—no more! I recall carrying the two extra tires I had for my Studebaker to the Norfolk-Southern railroad station to be delivered to a collection point to help the war effort. It was not unusual to see a car with holes through its tires, and “shoes” nearly worn through inside the tires.

Coffee and sugar were on the ration list. Saccharin became popular as the only artificial sweetener available. Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of the president, was ridiculed by coffee lovers for writing in her newspaper column, My Day, that she saved used coffee grounds to mix with fresh coffee when brewing her morning pick-me-up. My mother remarked: “I want my coffee fresh, strong, and black or no coffee at all!” There were many days she had no coffee.

Leather shoes were rationed. Lots and lots of leather was needed to put boots on the military forces. Women had to forget about silk stockings. Silk was used for parachutes for the military.

The military draft insured that nearly every family had a member in the military. A family with a member in service proudly displayed a blue star in a window of its home. Some families had as many as five stars showing. Gold stars were provided those who had lost a member in the military during the war.

Practice blackouts were mandated, even for Wendell and Zebulon. Air raid wardens patrolled streets to insure that no lights were visible. After all, the lights might help enemy airplanes find their way to vital targets.

Everyone was encouraged to purchase savings stamps costing 10 cents each to help finance the war. When a stamp book was full, it could be traded for a War Bond valued at $18.75, which would increase in value until in 10 years it could be redeemed for $25.00. Special events were staged to promote War Bonds. The bonds served two purposes: they helped finance the war and they siphoned off surplus money that would have caused increased inflation.

While I was home on leave in December 1944, a War Bond auction sale was conducted in front of Peoples Bank on Arendell Avenue. Bids consisted of promises to purchase War Bonds. Someone dragged me up on the flatbed trailer where I stood beside the auctioneer while he asked for bids for the honor of hosting me for a meal. I was speechless as the bids increased in size until J. K. Barrow was high with a $2,000 offer. Unfortunately, he never collected his prize, became my leave was ended before I had the pleasure of eating Mrs. Barrow’s cooking.

So what have we done to honor the gals and guys who fought so gallantly for the U.S.A. in Vietnam? I was shamed to see photos in newspapers of returning soldiers facings crowds who jeered them, spit on them, and in general made life miserable for them. And we never had rationing.

What sacrifices are we making for the war effort today? Oh, this war has hit home more than the Vietnam War because so many Reservists and National Guard personnel have been ordered to active duty. And possibly some think we are hurting because of the taxes required to pay the cost of fighting terrorism.

But, compared with the cost of saving the banking industry from its own folly and baling out General Motors and Chrysler which are unable to compete with foreign manufacturers, the cost of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan is small.

Maybe it is time for change. Maybe it is time for increased support for our military. Maybe it is time for sacrifice. Maybe it is time that we provided our military, which is doing an outstanding job of fighting for us homefolks, with the arms and equipment they need to be as safe as it is possible to be in a war zone.

Maybe we should resurrect the draft. Maybe, how horrible the thought, it is time to increase taxes so that we can give the military forces what they need. Maybe it is time to do what is necessary to win a war!