World War II Rubber Rationing and U.S. Auto Conversion Detailed
8 reported
According to a single-source article from marginalrevolution.com, during World War II meetings, British official Beaverbrook stated that 100 percent of British automobile factories had been converted to military production, while Americans offered that at most 15 percent of U.S. auto plants could be converted. Beaverbrook encouraged President Roosevelt to aim higher, and on January 1, Roosevelt ordered U.S. auto production halted by late February. The article reports that within weeks, rubber became rationed, with 90 percent of rubber coming from Malaya and Indonesia, and the U.S. having no synthetic rubber factories to make up the shortfall. Americans learned that without spare tires, family cars had limited range. Rail passage was soon limited to troops and businessmen on official war business, and the national airline fleet of 434 aircraft was commandeered. By spring, gasoline rationing began on the Eastern Seaboard as a means to preserve rubber more than oil, spreading nationwide the following year. By summer, oil, bilge tar, and decomposing bodies from U-boat attacks regularly washed up on America’s eastern beaches.
What’s reported
Beaverbrook stated that 100 percent of British automobile factories had been converted to military production.
Americans offered that at most 15 percent of U.S. auto plants could be converted.
Roosevelt ordered U.S. auto production halted by late February.
90 percent of rubber came from Malaya and Indonesia.
The U.S. had no synthetic rubber factories.
Rail passage was limited to troops and businessmen on official war business.
The national airline fleet of 434 aircraft was commandeered.
Gasoline rationing began on the Eastern Seaboard by spring and spread nationwide the following year.
Key figures
Beaverbrook (British official, role not specified in article)
President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Sources: marginalrevolution.com
