WWII WAR RATION BOOKS

President Franklin Roosevelt created the Office of Price Administration in August 1941. Its main responsibility was to place a ceiling on prices of most goods to prevent wartime price gouging and to limit consumption by rationing. Everyone, including children, was issued a ration book, each of which had a certain number of rationing points per week. Meat and processed foods, vital for soldiers abroad, had high points. Fresh fruit and vegetables had no points. Shortages of essential war materials such as rubber, gasoline and sugar were initially anticipated, but soon rationing grew to include food as well as fuel and sugar. Most commodities were removed from rationing by the end of 1945