War Bonds
Ruth Patrick Science Education CenterDuring World War II, the government and even radio and movie stars worked hard to convince people to buy war bonds. These bonds were kind of like loans to the government. People would buy bonds and the government promised to return them with interest after 10 years or more. During the war, the government needed all the extra money it could get to help pay for war equipment (War Bonds) because the US spent more than $300 billion fighting the Axis Powers and supplying our Allies which is equal to more than $4 trillion today (War Bonds for the War Effort). War bonds or defense bonds were bought by purchasing stamps for 10, 15, or 25 cents each. The stamps were then pasted into booklets that could be turned in when full for a $25 war bond (War Bonds). A $25 war bond was bought for $18.75 and the government would take the money to help pay for tanks, planes, ships, uniforms, weapons, medicine, food, and everything else the military needed to fight and win the war. Now $6.25 may not sound like a lot, but most people bought more than just $18.75 worth of War Bonds (War Bonds for the War Effort).
Ruth Patrick Science Education Center
War stamps and bonds were not only a way for the government to raise money, but a way for every person to participate in the war effort and it became very patriotic to buy bonds and stamps (War Bonds). Everywhere in the US, people were encouraged to help support the war effort by purchasing War Bonds. Posters picturing Uncle Sam or a soldier on the battlefield begged people to do their part. Celebrities like Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Bette Davis, and Marlene Dietrich, traveled the country putting on live shows or radio programs promoting War Bond sales. Schools even held their own War Bond drives and students would bring in nickels, dimes, and quarters to see if their school could out-raise other schools (War Bonds for the War Effort).