Life on the Prairie

ALEXIS

 

 I don’t know how or where to start,

To stop the hurt in our nation’s heart.

 

I’m just a girl and my effort’s small

I want to make the world safe for all.

 

What can I do to stop this War?

To help bring our boys home from afar.

 

My heart, it does so hurt and ache,

For sacrifices made for my sake.

 

Brothers, sons, fathers, husbands, all away,

For their safety, each day I will pray.

 

 

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Prairie Girls

Alexis

This is Alexis, and I am happy today. The war is over! Germany surrendered in June, and now the Japanese have surrendered. America and its allies won. Mom says her cousin will surely be released soon, and we will have a big family gathering when he comes home. I am saddened when I think of the soldiers who died in the war. While my family will celebrate Mom’s cousin’s homecoming, my heart will ache for those families whose boys died. I hope there is never another war.

 

General Eisenhower

                                            by Collette

General Eisenhower was not my dad’s favorite general during WWII. He favored General Omar Bradley and was apprehensive of General George Patton. He often referred to Ike with disdain as a “desk general.” I didn’t really know what that meant except that maybe he was behind the lines and not actually in the fighting. I never asked my dad why he felt that way.

Part of the grant I participated in for my masters allowed me to do research at Eisenhower’s museum and library in Abilene. I was lucky to have one of the oldest members of the museum as my archivist. My research paper one summer was about Eisenhower’s role in WWII. The archivist brought me the letter from FDR naming Ike the Commander of the American forces in Europe. It was sent to him by George Marshall who was Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army. I was awe stricken to hold that letter.

The archivist sent me to the Dickerson County Library where I researched the early life of General Eisenhower. I looked at his report cards and was stunned by comments about how great his math skills were. He was truly gifted mathematically. It was with further research, I discovered why he had been chosen to lead the armies in Europe.

It was precisely because of those math skills that he was perfect to develop the invasion plan that would be called Operation Overlord. Only someone with keen skills could oversee thousands of men, millions of pieces of equipment, and hundreds of ships and planes to be brought in secretly to the coast of France. He even participated in estimating where the most horrific losses would occur, and he was more correct than wrong in determining how many men would be lost.

Historians now know that much of the D-Day planning was Ike’s doing. The “desk general” was an expert with numbers, placating generals with difficult personalities, and assuming the huge responsibility of leading the allies to victory during WWII. I do not share my father’s opinion about Ike.

World War II on the Home Front

WW 11 on the Home Front

                                                    by Collette

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Americans were behind President Roosevelt’s push to enter the War in Europe and especially the War in the Pacific. After the loss of so many ships and planes following the attack, everyone was ready to roll up his sleeves and help America and her allies win the war. Men rushed to join the war, leaving women to fight the fight on the home front.

Agricultural production increased immediately, and most people fed their families by implementing “victory gardens” so more food could be shipped overseas. Rationing of such products as gasoline, oil, sugar, meat, butter, shoes, and rubber was strictly enforced. No one could purchase the rationed items without stamps. Drives were conducted by the Boy Scouts, schools, and other groups to collect everything from scrap iron to even bacon grease used in explosives.

Everyone did his part to step-up war production, but women played a huge role in producing planes, ships, jeeps, tanks, guns, ammunition, and the other necessities of war. “Rosie the Riveter” left her kids with her mother and went to work in unprecedented numbers. Major CEOs of companies received $1.00 a year income in order to pour more money into their production lines. No one could have foreseen how quickly and efficiently America geared up for war. Everyone on the home front helped win the war overseas and effectively ended the Great Depression, as well.

The following sites provide more information.
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/us-home-front-during-world-war-ii
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_front_during_World_War_II
http://www.ushistory.org/us/51.asp
http://www.archives.gov/boston/exhibits/homefront

 

 

Miscellaneous Recipes from the 1940's

Miscellaneous Recipes from the 1940’s

                                                         by Collette

Here are a few other recipes from the war years you might want to try out on your own family.

Potato Pancakes

2 large eggs                                                 5 or 6 medium potatoes
1 teaspoon salt                                            2 tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon black pepper                          3 tablespoons oil
1/3 cup minced onion

Peel and grate the potatoes. Tightly squeeze the potatoes to release any excess moisture. In a large bowl, lightly beat eggs with the salt and pepper. Mix onions and potatoes with flour and oil. Add the egg mixture and mix thoroughly. Brush oil on large cast iron skillet; heat until sizzling hot. Reduce heat and drop 1/3 cup of the mixture onto the skillet and spread about ¼ inch thick. Fry the pancake 2 to 3 minutes and turn. Fry on the second side 4 to 6 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with a spoonful of sour cream. Serves: 4-6

Carmel Fudge

3 cups sugar                                                ½ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup cream or whole milk                         ½ to 1 pound pecans
¼ cup butter or oleo                                   (or an amount to suit you)
1/8 teaspoon baking soda

Put 1 cup sugar into small sauce pan and the remaining sugar with cream in a large kettle. Put both on at the same time on low heat. Stir the sugar constantly until it is a light brown syrup. Stir the other mixture occasionally, (do not let boil until sugar is completely dissolved). When syrup is right, add to cream and sugar very slowly. Stir vigorously to keep from curdling. Continue cooking without stirring until mixture forms a firm ball in cold water or 245 degrees on thermometer. Take off stove, mix in soda, and add butter allowing it to melt into the candy. Let cool 20-30 minutes. Add vanilla and beat until mixture is thick, heavy,   shining like satin. Add as many pecans as mixture will hold. Pour into a buttered pan, mark off squares, and place a pecan ½ on each square. Cut when cold.

Red Apples

6 firm apples (York, or Black Twig)          1 cup water
1 cup sugar                                                 1 package red hots

Peel and core apples (leave whole). Bring the sugar, water and red hots to a boil, put in apples (use a heavy pan), cover, and boil for 5 minutes. Turn apples and place over low heat; cover and cook until done. Serves: 6

"I Like Ike; I Still Like Ike"

“I Like Ike; I Still Like Ike”

                                                      by Collette

I remember when Dwight David Eisenhower was President of the United States. As a little kid, I thought it was neat to have a President who grew up in Kansas. I was aware when I started teaching that his ranking as an effective President was about mid-range to lower one-third when compared with other Presidents. He was often criticized for his hobby of golf, his bumbling manner when he spoke ending with a scratching of his head, and that he had a couple of heart attacks.

After reading five books including a couple of books written by Ike himself, I have changed my opinion of him as a President and so have other historians. He now ranks close to the top ten Presidents. Ike ran the country and his cabinet in much the way he guided the armies of WWII. I knew from his grades in school and achievements during the war that he was a smart man. Eisenhower would lapse into his bumbling manner when he didn’t want to answer the press who were questioning him at the time. After all you didn’t share all of the information you had in the army, and he saw no need to do that with the press.

The list of accomplishments of his administrations is long and easily researched if one is interested. Eisenhower ran his presidential campaign with the slogan “I Like Ike.” Americans did like the former general. They liked him so much the slogan of his second campaign was “I Still Like Ike.” I have to admit “I Like Ike,” too, and am pleased he has come up in the rankings as a top ten President.

The Family Reunion

 The Family Reunion

                                                        By Judy

“Mom, do I have to go? Sally’s mom said she would take us to the movie. Why do I have to go to a family reunion?  I’m sure Grandma’s cousin from California won’t know if I’m there or not,” Annie whined.

“Why do I have to go if Annie doesn’t?” Danny asked. “It’s not fair. Jeff and I planned to study together for our big test in—uh—in--in history. Yes, for our big test in history next Monday. Please don’t make me go to the reunion.”

“I really need to work Saturday afternoon. Next week is going to be a busy one at the office. I thought I could get a head start on the week if I worked instead of going to the reunion,” my husband said calmly and logically. (Interpret that to mean there was no room for discussion.)

I wasn’t excited about going to the reunion picnic myself. It was August—hot, hot August, but there are some things a child does for her parents. So yes, I made plans to drive the forty miles to attend the reunion. In a moment of total lack of consideration for the fair treatment of all my children, I excused Annie and Danny from the reunion. Susie and David were at a loss for any kind of excuse for not attending, so I declared they were going.

“I’ll go if Molly can go with me. If her mom says she can go, can she, please, Mom?” Susie asked. I didn’t see any reason her friend couldn’t go.

“If I go, can Ben go with me?” David asked.

Off to the reunion I traveled, four kids in tow. Grandma introduced us to her family members. She attempted to explain to a couple of her cousins that only two of the kids were mine. She explained the other two were guests. There were a lot of aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, and cousins at the reunion, though. Grandma finally gave up and just introduced me as her daughter and the four kids with me as her grandchildren.

I received many compliments for my well-behaved, nice-looking children. Most people commented on the family resemblance of the four. “Oh, yes, I can sure tell those are your kids.” I just smiled and said thank you.