InsaneJournal

The quick and dirty guide to WW2 era Britain

 

era.guide The quick and dirty guide to RPing in WWII era England   PREFACE. All details relating to the muggle war, rationing, and other historical details, have been explained here to the best of our ability and with sights set on brevity. Any contention with the historical facts here should be pointed out via email and we will address them as quickly as possible. Note that we have left out most of the war as it relates to Europe, as we are focusing primarily on the scope of the war as viewed by Hogwarts' students. As there is very little wizard-canon information on this era, all details here should be considered Game Canon -- though we have made a concerted effort to take canonical evidence to its logical end, particularly in terms of the Blitz and rationing. Anything related to Grindelwalds' war on Britain is strictly game canon, and should be considered this game's AU premise. Canonically, Grinelwald never attacked Britain. The War(s) Muggle war with Hitler Wizard war with Grindelwald (note AU importance here) Conscription Rationing Muggle rationing Wizard rationing Impact of rationing on Hogwarts The Blitz Muggle Blitz Wizarding Blitz Impact of the Blitz on children Everyday life Fashion Morals Rise of conservatism Fall of feminism Legality of homosexuality Dating Impact of wartime on the British psyche Timeline (separate page)   the war(s) A. The muggle war with Hitler Disclaimer: This is not the whole story. These are not all the facts. This is the absolute, mindbogglingliest bare minimum that we could possibly write to give you the jist of what led up to the war if you don't already know. In the wake of WWI, many nations, particularly Germany, found themselves in the midst of economic depressions after having been ravaged by post-war treaties. Hitler capitalised on German fears and created a scapegoat out of the Jews, eventually rising to dictatorship through a series of convoluted political maneouvers. He won the German people over by making a series of promises in many inspiring speeches, including getting back German territory and taking revenge on the Allied nations. By allying with Italy and Japan, he set the stage for creating "breathing room" for the mighty Master race. Most of Europe (including England, under Minister Chamberlain) stood idly by and watched as Hitler began conquering other nations, banking on Hitler's promises that once he'd claimed a few territories, he'd settle down. Hitler lied again and again, but in the wake of one already devastating war, Europe was reticent to take action. When Hitler attacked Poland in 1939 (a year after Hitler began annexing other nations), WWII officially began after Germany failed to respond to Britain's ultimatum. Chamberlain gathered a war cabinet, but ultimately resigned as the government was dividing over a variety of political issues that don't bear detailing here. Winston Churchill, whose warnings about Hitler had long gone ignored, took over as Prime Minister, and prepared the nation for war. For more specifics on events of the war, see the Timeline. Chamberlain announces the war B. The wizarding war with Grindelwald Though Grindelwald's actions in Europe did not gain attention until 1940, they were long in the making. After the dissolution of the Austrian-Hungarian empire after WWI, the International Confederation of Wizards decreed that all wizarding nations of the Confederation must redraw their borders to match those created by the muggle war. Though many governments objected, most complied -- with the notable exception of the Austrian-Hungarian empire. There, Grindelwald had been building a political party on the tenets of Nationalism and the abolition of the statute of secrecy. Through his influence, both Austria and Hungary withdrew their status as members of the International Confederation of Wizards, and Grindelwald continued to rise in power. After an embargo by the ICW, severe economic depression racked Austria-Hungary, which Grindelwald blamed on Muggles and the Western nations. Using the poor state of many surrounding nations, Grindelwald began to expand his influence into Germany and Romania, and slowly built up an army as he gained more and more power. Using this power to spread his influence even further, and to persecute Muggles and any who would oppose him, he set his sights on conquering Europe. When he began invading other countries, England, France, and Bulgaria established themselves as the first Alliance against Grindelwald. For more specifics on events of the war, see the Timeline. C. Conscription in the Muggle World In October 1939 all men aged between 18 and 41 who were not working in 'reserved occupations' (scientists, engineers, other 'important' jobs) could be called to join the armed services if required (note that conscription means only that men must be ready to serve, not that they have been necessarily called). The first men called were between 20 and 23, and had their choice between the army, navy and airforce As the war continued, other age groups received their papers to report to duty, and, eventually, the need was such that single women were called to fight in 1941 (between ages 20 and 30). Women were not required to fight but took up work in factories and farming so that men could be further drafted into the service. Conscription of muggleborn students or professors at Hogwarts has been prevented by intervention of the Wizarding government. Conscription in the wizarding world began 3 March 1943; as of 30 March 1943, conscription applies to healthy males between 20 and 30.   rationing A. Muggle rationing (sherlock, lipsofpoison) Rationing was Britain's response to the destruction/blockade of British supply ships. Citizens were required to register with local shops, which assigned them ration books, containing coupons for the weekly allotments of food. These coupons had to be presented with money when purchasing desired food. The coupons themselves were valueless. By 1943, Britain needed more and more food as the U-boat campaign hit supply lines especially hard. People who made more than their fair share were encouraged to help supply butchers and greengrocers and the Women's Land Army ("Land Girls" -- agricultural workers) encouraged women to take up farming and gardening to keep Britain fed. Women were also encouraged to repair and recycle their families' old clothes, curtains, and bedding to make skirts and dresses. Unwanted woolens were unravelled and knitted into new items. The Royal Family helped keep spirits high by reminding the public that they, too, were being rationed, and by championing the 'Dig for Victory' campaign, encouraging people to grow food in their gardens and allotments (Victory Gardens). What was rationed by/in 1943 Meat (including beef, bacon, ham), milk, cheese, butter, margarine, lard, eggs, jam, sugar, tea, sweets (including biscuits), cereal, clothing, fabric, soap, and fuel (coal). See picture below for a week's worth of some rationed items (and a month's worth of jam). Other items were in such short supply that they didn't need to be rationed at all. B. Wizard rationing 5 Exceptions to Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration: 1. FOOD -- Food cannot be created from nothing, only summoned, duplicated or enlarged from pre-existing food; 2. MAGIC -- Magical objects cannot be duplicated with the inherent magic remaining intact; 3. LIFE -- True life cannot be created where life did not exist before; 4. LOVE -- Love cannot be created where it did not exist before; 5. MONEY -- Money can't be duplicated, nor created except from its base elements; Addendums to Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration & its exceptions: Transfiguration can be considered a redistribution of value, along with the more commonly accepted understanding that transfiguration results in a change of appearance. Thus, when duplicating or enlarging items, the value of the objects is unaltered. Duplicated or enlarged items will retain only so much value in total as the original item. The nutritional value of enlarged foodstuff is the same as that in the original. The nutrients of duplicated objects is such that the sum of all duplicated objects and the original equal the original item. Enlarged or duplicated fabric, leather, metals, or other structural materials will have the integrity of the original material, spread out over the extra material. For example, enlarged cloth will be weaker, prone to tearing, and of poorer quality than the original piece. Duplicated or created life cannot sustain itself long; the lives will not retain souls or real lives (think: inferi), nor can they grow or procreate. This is not to suggest transfigured items are useless; one of the primary aspects of schooling in Transfiguration is not simply learning how to transfigure from one form to another, but how not to strain the capacity of the original object and thus produce a valuable secondary object. Rationing of wizards during the concurrent wars Though wizard imports are not being hit by Hitler's blockades and attacks to the extent that their muggle counterparts are (thanks to magical means of going undetected), many wizarding necessities, particularly food, tea, and cloth, do come via muggle means. Thus, the wizarding world was hit two-fold by the shortage of supplies: everyday basics and those of the magical variety (rare potion ingredients, magical tools, etc). Wizards, like their Muggle counterparts, are required to carry ration books, which, due to the nature of the magic imbued within them, cannot be replicated. C. Impact of rationing on Hogwarts All of Hogwarts students, from Muggleborns to Purebloods, will have experienced some form of rationing since the Muggle War's beginning. Rationing is approximately equal for both the Wizarding and Muggle worlds, though rationed items may differ. Along with food, clothing is a primary concern for Hogwarts students, as adolescents quickly outgrow their clothing (see Gamp's law above). Therefore, even Purebloods may have patched clothing and tightened belts, since rationing is not dependent on financial or blood status. Hogwarts has planted Victory Gardens to help supplement students' diets, as well as raising its own animals for slaughter, so students will get slightly more food and better nutrition at school than they would at home. Thanks to the innovative kitchen elves, the food is transfigured to be a bit more appealing, as well. Brave students might be able to supplement their typical rations by making use of the darker side of the open market -- but run the risk of punishment if caught dealing with black market traders.   the blitz A. The muggle Blitz ( poems , lipsofpoison ) Beginning September 7, 1940, England endured a series of sustained bombings, centred on but not limited to London. By May, 1941, over 43,000 (some sources put numbers nearer 65,000) civilians had been killed. Over 200,000 homes were completely destroyed, and another 4,500,000 were damaged. Those who remained in the cities grew used to sirens, gas masks, and fires that went on for days (because of insufficient water). Many families were forced to share tiny spaces and destroyed neighbourhoods and cities were a daily sight. Those living in towns bordering the channel lived out of suitcases and kept poison on hand, knowing that sea-towns were likely points of German invasion. Air raid siren Siren sounding the all clear Report on a London air raid During the bombings Blackouts were designed to make it difficult for German bombers to find their targets. Before sunset, everyone was required to cover their windows and doors, and many people used single candles to navigate their homes, so as not to produce too much light. Street lights were switched off or dimmed and shielded to deflect the light downward. Traffic lights and vehicle headlights were fitted with slotted covers to deflect the beam down to the floor. Thousands of people died in road accidents during blackouts. People were told to walk facing traffic and men left their shirt-tails out so they could be seen by cars with dimmed headlights. Shelters Civilians Civilians played important roles on the homefront of WWII. Those unable to fight in the war made up various organizations such as the Home Guard ("Dad's Army"), the Air Raid Precautions Service, and The Auxiliary Fire Services in order to assist civilians, protect London, and turn German paratroopers over to authorities. Boy Scouts helped direct the Fire Services to sites most in need of help, while the Air Raid Precautions Service helped keep order in the face of chaos. B. The wizarding Blitz In January 1943, Grindelwald will finally turn his sights on England, convinced that the already war-torn nation will be easily conquered by his superior weaponry and forces. Bombs will once again litter British cities, though muggles, assuming it is merely Hitler once again, will react little to the attacks. C. Impact of the Blitz(es) on children ( lipsofpoison) As danger to the public heightened, the need to soothe children still in danger zones arose. Brightly coloured gas masks were distributed so that children wouldn't be afraid to use them. Comic books showed the importance of black outs and respecting air raid wardens, as well as emphasising the need to follow orders quickly and quietly. Schools held regular gas drills, which students were required to take very seriously, and many times lessons were continued during the drills while in shelters to retain a sense of normalcy. Children were taught to memorise their identity numbers, so they could be traced, and many young girls wore their identity numbers on silver chains as a statement of their British pride. Many children were evacuated away from their families to the safer areas of the country, where they lived with foster families, whom they would stay with if anything happened to their real families in the cities. Anyone with spare room was expected to take in evacuees, but the number of children needing homes made many foster homes crowded. Evacuation HRH Princess Elizabeth's message to evacuees   everyday life A. Fashion (rainbowling) Fabric rationing had a significant effect on the fashions of the early 1940s. The 1942 British Civilian Clothing Order CC41 made it illegal and unpatriotic to embellish garments. Fabric rationing limited each person points which could be used to purchase clothing, much like food coupons. Because these points were so limited, new clothing was rare. Rationing and the CC41 had a considerable impact on the styles of the day. Long skirts for women were considered a waste of fabric, so regulations on skirt length were put into place. As nylon and silk were nearly impossible to find, women took to dying their legs with gravy or tea and drawing seams down the back of their legs to emulate stockings. Garments were limited to only three buttons, cuffs were eliminated as a waste of fabric, and even pleats were regulated. Necessity, in addition to laws and rations, made clothing and hair styles more practical. While the men were off at war, women were allowed to wear trousers while working, and tended to more practical hairstyles and shoes. Casual clothing began to emulate military uniforms and patches on knees and elbows were commonplace. Creativity reigned in the fashion of this era. Used clothing was not rationed and people would go to great lengths to find new uses for old garments. Tablecloths were made into skirts and bras, pillowcases into summer shorts, and men's suits into new suits.     [click for bigger images] B. Morals ( kavalier, sherlock) Rise of Conservatism While the various liberal movements of pre-war and interwar England made significant strides in progress, particularly in terms of women's rights, the advent of the Second World War brought these movements to a screeching halt and, in some cases, even set progress back. Though the war created in Britain a profound sense of national unity, that unity was founded on traditional and conservative values of the culture. Even liberals emphasised issues relevant to the war before social issues, resulting in a regression to more conservative social values. Fall of Feminism Prior to the war, the feminist movement gained additional rights for women (e.g. the right to vote), but those successes, coupled with ideological divides within the movement itself, slowed its progress. The depression of the 1930s fostered resentment of feminism and working women, leading to losses in employment freedom. The feminist movement was also greatly hindered by women themselves, who had little interest in using their newfound "equality." To combat the apathy of laywomen towards the feminist movement, Women's Guilds were established to spread the ideas of feminism. Ironically, it was not until the Guilds abandoned feminist ideals (~1939) and focused upon home-making practicalities that membership really took off. The war itself promoted motherhood and home-making as patriotic, raising public opinion of women who devoted themselves to these important duties. Women were lauded for creative use of rations and for raising the next generation of loyal Britons. The necessary incorporation of women into the labour force (up to 90% of single women by 1943), and even into the home guard, did little to further the feminist movement, as the majority of women expected to return to the sole task of home-making once the war ended. For RPers, particularly female RPers, this means putting modern notions of oppression and inequality aside and considering things from the viewpoint of a WWII era British woman. The majority of British women did not feel oppressed, and, in fact, actively resisted the efforts of feminist groups. Those women who did sympathise with or participate in the feminist movement were generally in agreement that the war effort took precedence. Things have a come a long way, and it is important to portray the place from whence it came with realism. Homosexuality Laws governing homosexuality in 1943 were based on the Criminal Law Amendment Acts of 1885 and 1912, which made any sexual contact between males illegal and subject to up to two years hard labour. Females were excluded from any legal definitions of homosexuality. Depictions of homosexuality were also widely censored under obscenity laws. Dating In the time between the 1920s-1945, dating became a popular, informal method of courtship. Chaperones were no longer required, nor did churches and communities dictate as many rules. If money was available, couples were able to go 'out' and leave the watchful setting of their homes. Due to the access of more time spent out from under the watchful eye of adults, couples did begin to explore more sexually during this period in history. However, such explorations and intimate expressions were strictly limited to private places (usually cars). Words like 'petting' and 'necking' worked their way into the vernacular of students, but were not the sort of thing that good school girls and boys admitted to doing. Culturally, English girls were reared to show chilliness when it came to romance, and to rely on the men to continue to advance the situation. Men were expected to know what was and was not proper, and respect women by not creating intimacy in public situations or carrying things too far in private. Girls who were forward and tried to guide a romance with a man were looked down upon by both girls and boys during this repressed period in history. England was still conservative when it came to kissing in public. Even 'social kissing' as a greeting only became generally acceptable in the 1960s. At Hogwarts, kissing on the cheek is currently permitted; however, there is a rule against any other sort of kissing in public. If and when students decide to disobey these rules, you must remember that the places where students would be able to kiss in private are extremely limited -- and that kissing in the common room, though not forbidden, should not be done during professor supervision. If students are intimate at Hogwarts, the chances of staying private enough to keep from getting a detention should be rolled for by a mod. C. Impact of wartime on the British psyche ( lipsofpoison) The strategic bombing of major British cities meant that most of Britain experienced the Blitz in some form. Though Britain itself lay in ruin, the British people fostered a sense of community that surpassed class and circumstance. Public patriotism surged and public opinion made much of fighting for freedom and British lives; governmental support was at a high as well. Boosting morale was a significant goal of the government during wartime. Patriotic music was played in public houses, and those of different backgrounds were encouraged to bond against a common enemy. Comedy shows and sing-a-longs were set up to improve the public mood, and children made up rhymes about Hitler and his troops to assuage fear. The cinema provided both a source of information about the war effort and of morale. "Miss Grant goes to the door" provided the viewer information on how to recognise German paratroopers and spies, on knitting socks and mittens for sailors and, above all, on the importance of blackouts at night. The film also reminded cinemagoers of Cromwell – the national codeword that Britain had been invaded; it was an announcement that most of Britain deeply feared. Other films showed 'ordinary' citizens coping after the loss of their homes or provided such tips as just using five inches of water for a bath. Though there was a great deal of information given to the public to keep them safe and proud of the war effort, a great deal of censorship was enacted in order to avoid public panic. Pictures showing people running from their homes or graphic images from the frontlines were banned. Numbers of German bombers being shot down were inflated in order to inspire hope.   sources Sound clips courtesy of http://www.bbc.co.uk Many sections based on interviews conducted by lipsofpoison with members of the Newton Road Residential Estate Images courtesy of 1940s House, Hope and Glory, Corbis Smith, H.L. (Ed.) British Feminism in the Twentieth Century. 1990 Caine, B. English Feminism 1780-1980. 1997 http://www.worldwariihistory.info http://www.fashion-era.com/utility_clothing.htm http://www.docstoc.com/docs/859053/The-History-of-Dating http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flirting#cite_note-uk-1 http://jrscience.wcp.muohio.edu/reflections/FinalArticles/DatingMatingandRelating.D.html http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/aug/05/humanbehaviour.familyandrelationships http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O119-CourtshipandDating.html   further reading/viewing The Chronicles of Narnia [1950, set in WWII] (preview text here) Enid Blyton series [1942] (preview text here) Hope and Glory (legally(!) watch online here) Foyle's War (watch online here)