Restrictions for England and the USA in WW2?

[Delta tank 6]

The UK had spent pretty much its entire foreign exchange reserves to fight the war. There were fewer trade opportunities right after the war to build them up because Europe was devastated and a requirement of Lend Lease was that Britain tolerate more US trade with the Empire. The UK also had to pay off the loan the US gave to them in 1945. It wasn't that the payments were especially large, amortized as it was over fifty odd years, but due to a serious misjudgment, the UK had to pay it back in US dollars.

 

This meant that imported stuff was scarce and as much domestic production as possible had to exported to earn foreign exchange.

 

Thanks for the reply! My understanding of economics at that level is obviously not good! My understanding of economics is above average, unfortunately our average here in the US is very low!

 

Mike

[Old Tanker]

Thanks for the reply! My understanding of economics at that level is obviously not good! My understanding of economics is above average, unfortunately our average here in the US is very low!

 

Mike

 

 

Which brings up the point that a recent survey of CongressCritters showed about 78% lacked educational exposure to Economics 101.

 

Just a pack of Ambulance Chasers as the populists see it.

[Delta tank 6]

Thats pretty common as far as politicians are concerned. The man at the helm of the British Treasury made his career selling bathrooms at Selfridges.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Osborne

 

Then again perhaps I shouldnt complain. Churchills sole qualification for the Admiralty was riding a Cavalry Horse.

 

And our Treasury Secretary is a criminal, yes, a tax cheat!! And now he is in charge of the IRS (Internal Revenue Service), unbelievable!!

 

Mike

[Ken Estes]

UK rationing continued in part because of the requirement to feed civilians in the UK zone of occupied Germany.

 

Canadian also sent considerable foodstuffs during WWII to the UK with other material, = 25% of US LL and it was gratis, separate from the financial loans.

[Assessor]

UK rationing continued in part because of the requirement to feed civilians in the UK zone of occupied Germany.

 

Ken,

 

although this is undoubtably true, the current thinking is that this had less effect that was stated at the time. For example, bread was rationed in the UK post-war. It had NOT been rationed in wartime. Whilst feeding occupied Germany was mentioned at the time as a reason, of greater significance was potential famine in India and Malaya (although it was later admitted that the amount of wheat freed up by UK bread rationing would have had little significant impact on a disaster of such magnitude), and the desire of the Labour government to retain a sense of equality as had existed in wartime, wherein people who had more money didn't enjoy a better diet than the poor.

 

Churchill thought that the announcement of bread rationing in parliament was one of the gravest things he heard.

[DB]

There have been claims that the healthiest generation was the children of the rationed generation. difficult to decouple that from the post-war advances in medicine, I suppose.

 

As for cars - UK car manufacturers were subject to steel rationing, which is one of the reasons why "Birmabright" came about. Door skins on post-war Rovers were aluminium alloy and the whole superstructure of the Landrover was the same.

 

Sadly, as the steel was freed up they went away from that, losing 30+ years of significant weight saving.

Edited September 13, 2011 by DB