There was a big crisis in the Spring of 43. The US government realized they needed people to staff munitions factories more than they needed fresh recruits. S

There was a big crisis in the Spring of 43. The US government realized they needed people to staff munitions factories more than they needed fresh recruits. So the US government abolished voluntary enlistment, drafted new recruits, and told everyone else to get a job. It did not go over well. People don’t like being told there is a crisis, but they should “stay home and do nothing.” Even if “do nothing” is building tanks. So the government wisely fudged. The Coast Guard and Merchant Marine began recruiting. Paramilitary agencies were created. Proganda began pushing the importance of the “common man.” People in the 1940s didn’t like being told to stay home and “mask up” any more than we do.