December 1941 (15 page)

What rankled so many people was their perception of FDR's autocratic and secretive approach to governance and presumed preparations for war with Germany. Indeed, it came to light that he'd been arming Turkey for six months prior to announcing the extension of Lend-Lease to the beleaguered country, a promise he'd made to Churchill months earlier, even though there were forces in Ankara attempting an alliance with the Axis powers. Senator Robert Taft, Republican of Ohio, did not object, though. “I would much rather give aid to them than to Russia.”
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Analysis in the Stimson document was cold and accurate. “By themselves, however, naval and air forces seldom, if ever, win important wars. It should be recognized as an almost invariable rule that only land armies can likely win wars.”
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It did recognize the political realities of December 4, 1941, when the document said, “It is out of the question to expect the United States . . . to undertake a substantial and successful” effort to enter the World War.
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Astonishingly, war with Japan was only referred to as an aside, barely considered by the war planners.

Harold Ickes, secretary of the Interior, outlined his own view of America foreign policy in a speech before the Jewish Community Council. “I know of no one, except the Nazis and the self-acclaimed but misnamed American Firsters, who is suggesting a negotiated peace, or who is likely to ask for a negotiated peace. I know the only way to prevent a war epidemic is through the establishing of democracy at the sources of war.”
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On the East Coast, it was open season on the America First Committee, and syndicated columnist Dorothy Thompson said the group was “Japan's Ace in [the] Hole.” The grassroots movement, she said, “creates in Tokyo the false impression that Japan can risk war with us.”
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For good girls and boys expecting gifts from Santa (and with some assist from Mom and Dad) a “Slingin' Sammy Baugh” football made by Spalding was selling at the Plaza Sports Shop for $1.95, a Spalding “Babe Ruth” fielder's glove was $3.50, and boys' and girls' skates were selling for $6.95, available in either black or white.
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In Washington, in an era when downtowns were still vibrant and big department stores dominated shopping, men could shop at Frederick's for “nationally known Men's wear.” For women, “Lysol for feminine hygiene” was being advertised under the heading, “Her Husband Was a Stranger.” The dreadful ad copy continued, “His coolness was hard to bear. She blamed it on everything but the real cause—her ‘ONE NEGLECT'—carelessness about feminine hygiene. You can prevent this threat to your romance. Do as modern women do. Use Lysol for your intimate personal care. Endorsed by many doctors.” The ad was accompanied by the photo of an understandably stricken woman.
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For evening entertainment in Washington, patrons could enjoy the sounds of the Don Carper Four in the Café Caprice at the Roger Smith Hotel. “Dance to the enchanting rhythm . . . nightly at 10. . . . Tremendous Cocktails.”
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The hotel was located at Pennsylvania and 18th streets, just two blocks away from the White House. Also open for business was the Pall Mall Room at the Hotel Raleigh, “with music by Bert Bernath and his Sidney Orchestra.”
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The Lounge Rivera, with dancing from “9 to 2” and music performed by Pete Macia's famous orchestra was also a popular hangout.
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For those whose dancing skills were suspect, they could always learn or brush up at any one of dozens of Arthur Murray Dance Schools around the nation.

There was also a great deal of cheer in South Carolina, where army troops finally finished two months of maneuvers. Some headed back to their bases, others to their homes for Christmas. “While music boxes blared in the smoke-filled cafes and taverns, long lines of soldiers impatiently stood on the sidewalks awaiting their turn to eat.” The restaurants were so filled that many men ate standing up as “perspiring waitresses staggered under trays of food. . . . Last night was a barber's nightmare.” Many of the soldiers had gone for over a month without a haircut but now “enjoyed the luxury of shaves and shampoos in warm water. Many waited three to four hours before getting a chair.”
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A new and wholly ugly car was rolled off the assembly lines, the Crosley. “For Maximum Defense Economy, it costs 2/3 less to buy . . . up to 50 miles on a gallon . . . up to 40,000 miles on tires.” The car sold for $447 but could be driven off the lot for just $149 down. It was being sold in Washington by the Manhattan Auto and Radio Co.
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The car looked like it was made out of paper mâché.

A new cereal was unveiled, and to help boost sales they were selling two for one. The advertising claims suggested it did everything except cure the heartbreak of psoriasis. And it “sticks to your ribs!” too. What was this wonder food? “Shaped like cute little doughnuts . . . they stay crisp in milk.” Its name was Cheerioats. Breakfast cereals were often marketed as edible medicine cabinets—to wit Kellogg's All-Bran: “The better way to treat constipation due to lack of proper ‘bulk' in the diet is to correct the cause of the trouble with a delicious cereal . . . eat it every day and drink plenty of water.”
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The brainchild of Will Keith Kellogg, prepackaged cereals such as All-Bran and Toasted Corn Flakes were considered nutritional innovations.

Virtually every newspaper of the era pitched a miracle cure for baldness. “More than a quarter million persons have retained or regained good heads of hair by the reliable, proven Thomas method.”
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If Christmas cheer got to be too excessive, Americans could always turn to Phillips Milk of Magnesia, so they could “wake up clear headed after too much smoking, drinking, late eating.” Apparently “alkalizing” one's “overindulgence” was the ticket.
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The scrap paper drive initiated in Washington just a day before and implemented mostly by children was a huge success. The tykes brought in tons of paper to recycling centers with the proceeds to go to local schools and PTAs.

In New York, the heavyweight champion of the world, Joe Louis, was looking forward to a title defense fight with Buddy Baer, brother of Max Baer, whom Louis had defeated several years earlier.
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Both Louis and Baer had something to prove, Louis, the African American and Baer, the Jewish American.

The
Atlanta Constitution
announced as part of the Christmas celebration it would serialize the Charles Dickens manuscript
The Life of Our Lord
. Dickens had written it for his children and read it to them each Christmas, but asked that the book not be published until the last of his children had died. In 1933, the last of his children, Sir Henry Fielding Dickens, had passed away after a long and successful life.
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In Bogata, Colombia, the offices of the “anti-Nazi committee” were burglarized, and money was stolen that had been “collected during Anti-Hitler Week.”
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In North Africa, British tank commanders still talked confidently of defeating Rommel, the “Desert Rat,” but they would first have to involve Rommel in their plan, as he'd been pushing them all over North Africa and they were retreating right along the coast all the way to Egypt. Time may have been against Rommel however, as the British navy's goal was total control of the Mediterranean so they could interdict German supply ships with impunity. The Germans were rushing supplies via plane and ship. Daily reports of the tank battles in North Africa often contradicted themselves, but both sides agreed that Rommel had crushed the New Zealand tank division aiding Great Britain.

Military service could be downright hazardous for the enlistee or draftee, but it could also be dangerous for the members of the Selective Service Board. In Athens, Georgia, former Major League pitcher William Austin “Cy” Moore struck the chairman of the local draft board when he questioned whether Moore's parents had given false documents as to their dependency on their son.
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It could also be dangerous for the loved ones of potential inductees. In Los Angeles, a twenty-three-year-old carhop shot and seriously injured herself, greatly distraught that her boyfriend might be drafted.
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As with other newspapers around the country, the
Boston Daily Globe
reported on new assignments by troops and war equipment. “The newly organized Tank Destroyer Tactical and Firing Center has been stationed temporarily at Ft. George C. Meade, Md. according to a War Department announcement.”
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One G.I. from up north was so pleased with southern hospitality in Farmville, Virginia, he exclaimed, “If anybody mistakes us for southerners now, it will be ok.”
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Army chaplains were in short supply and a call went out for more men of the cloth to put on khaki and camouflage.

New York mayor Fiorello LaGuardia dedicated a new building in his city designed to house military personnel. He said that America was not “bluffing,” that it may have been fooled in the “last World War” but would not be again. “We do not know what will happen tomorrow, next week or next month, but the United States Navy stands ready.”
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The
Globe
also reported on new military construction with great fanfare. “The United States submarine
Halibut
, 40th undersea boat to be built at the Portsmouth Navy Yard, was launched today. . . . Today's launching was the sixth of the year and establishes a new record for submarine construction. In 1940, there were four launchings. As soon as the ways were clear today, workmen began laying another keel in Uncle Sam's defense program.” The story also detailed all the military brass in attendance at the yard in New Hampshire.
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Yet another story detailed again how America expected to meet its goal of fifty thousand airplanes produced in 1942.
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The military budget, it was announced, was almost $68 billion.
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When it came to telling America's enemies everything about the military, the
Los Angeles Times
was no slacker. A story went into great depth about “air raid defense exercises” planned for the area in mid-December. It would involve hundreds of planes, as well as ground personnel and spotters. The planned drill was “similar to those in New York and other eastern cities during the last few months.” . . .”
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“Taking part in the aerial portion of the tactical problem will be scores of planes from the 20th Pursuit Group, Hamilton Field, using P-40s and the 17th Bomber Group, McChord Field, Washington, in B-25s. The planes, it was learned, will fly as theoretical enemies as well as interceptors. Across a huge, kidney-shaped filter board, 120 women, plotters and tellers, will filter the information and pass it on to the information room.”
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On tour was the typing champion of America, “a plump, brown eyed girl” who could rattle off 150 words per minute, setting a per-hour record that had never been broken. “Miss Margaret Hamma” of Brooklyn was on a publicity tour to promote the new IBM electric typewriter.
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Actor Joseph Cotton reported that his car was stolen. Forty-eight hours later, it was discovered at the bottom of his pool. He'd failed to set the brake and it rolled backward, unnoticed.
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The
Los Angeles Times
was celebrating its sixtieth anniversary.
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The paper had seen much, and by 1940, the population of the city was just over 1.5 million citizens, and in 1939, water began to arrive at the city via the new Colorado River Aqueduct. That same year a heat wave kept the city hot under the collar, as the daytime temperature averaged “around 107 degrees for days and days.”
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The paper also reported on the “Latin American Queen” picked for the Rose Tournament Parade: Juanita Estela Lopez, “olive-skinned and dimpled . . .”
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In San Jose, a frustrated husband filed for divorce because his wife would not stop listening to the radio. His wife “Eva wouldn't clean the house, care for the children, cook my meals or talk to me,” complained Max Barrott. Judge John D. Foley “awarded Barrott the divorce and his wife the radio.”
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Knowledgeable observers tried to make some sense of Japan's actions. London had made it clear that any incursion into Thailand meant war with the British and that meant war with America as well. It would mean fighting a multifront war with countries that had more industrial capacity than Japan did.

“Japan is facing international economic siege and she is very vulnerable. If there was ever a country that needed to live on terms of peaceful trade with the rest of the world, it is Japan. Japan Proper has a population of 73,000,000 packed into an area less than that of California and far less rich in its material resources. Scarcely able to sustain herself in foodstuffs, she is heavily dependent upon imports of other raw materials. For such industrial and military necessities as petroleum, iron, steel, aluminum, lead, zinc, copper, tin, machine tools, wool and cotton she relied chiefly upon the United States, the British Empire and the Netherland Dutch Indies, nations which are now enforcing against her a rigid economic blockade.” Imports from the United States had shriveled to nothing, from $18 million in September of 1940 to $500 in September of 1941. The country was also cut off from U.S. credit and the country lived and died by trade.
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