Cowboys on the WW2 Home Front | Life on a Ranch in the 1940s | Documentary | ca. 1942

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This short film (originally titled as ‘Home on the Range’) shines with the culture and lifestyle of the Old West cattle ranchers. It was created circa 1942 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in order to promote the domestic war effort during World War 2. The film documents the range country's contribution to feeding the American people and the U.S. soldiers. Thanks to a fantastic narrator with a wild west twang to his voice, as well as some really nice shots of cowboys at work in their fields and ranches, this is an excellent and enriching film to enjoy. The earnest and patriotic narrator implores Americans to "save a steak or two for the hungry boys overseas."

It is a quite informational relic from the day of WW2 promotional filmmaking. The film shows how the problems of providing grass and water are solved with the help of the Agricultural Adjustment Agency. Water holes are dug; and grasses developed by the Agency are planted and cut. Sheep are sheared; wool is bundled; horses are rounded up; and cattle are caught, branded, and vaccinated. Fences are repaired and modern machinery is used to reap and store hay.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND / CONTEXT

The home front covers the activities of the civilians in a nation at war. World War 2 (1939–1945) was a total war; homeland production became even more invaluable to both the Allied and Axis powers. Life on the home front was a significant part of the war effort for all participants and had a major impact on the outcome of the war.

During World War 2 the American farming community gained more from the wartime economy than any other segment of the U.S. population. Prior to World War 2 American agriculture had suffered through twenty years of depressed farm prices. Although the war ultimately raised the income and social status of America's farmers, about five million small farmers who were barely making a living left their farms and sought work in the newly expanding war industries. furthermore, 1.5 million farmers joined the military. The farm population in the South decreased 20.4 percent from 1940 to 1945.

By 1941, as Europe's agricultural production became increasingly disrupted by the war, the demand for U.S. agricultural products began to rise sharply. On March 11, 1941, the Lend-Lease Act authorized President Franklin D. Roosevelt to lend money and send weapons, equipment, and food to the Allies. With the commencement of the Lend-Lease program and the formal entrance of the United States into the war in late 1941, American farmers were expected to produce enough food for U.S. civilians, the U.S. Army and Navy, and Allied civilians and military forces overseas. Just as U.S. industry had mobilized to produce war products, farmers had to mobilize for massive increases in food production. However, agricultural mobilization presented farmers with a set of challenges very different from those faced by industry leaders. Farmers dealt with living, growing commodities. Grain took a certain number of months to grow and mature; cattle and hogs took time to fatten up. Agricultural production had to proceed on nature's schedule, not the war's schedule.

Like the mobilization of industry for production of guns, warplanes, and ships, agricultural mobilization required immense effort. Millions of acres of new fields had to be plowed and irrigated. Huge increases in the demand for fertilizers had to be met. Farm machinery had to be kept in excellent working condition, and new machinery for new crops often had to be procured. Nearly 690,000 new tractors put two million horses and mules out of work. Greater numbers of cattle, hogs, and sheep meant grazing land had to be expanded; production of feed grains and corn had to increase, too. To transport their goods to railroad shipping yards farmers needed trucks, gas, and tires – all items that were hard to obtain during wartime. Despite the challenges, most farmers were caught up in the patriotic fervor of wartime and vowed to "keep them eating," a common catchphrase during the war. They agreed that the sacrifices were for the national good "for the duration."
Cowboys on the WW2 Home Front | Life on a Ranch in the 1940s | Documentary | ca. 1942

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NOTE: THE VIDEO DOCUMENTS HISTORICAL EVENTS. SINCE IT WAS PRODUCED DECADES AGO, IT HAS HISTORICAL VALUES AND CAN BE CONSIDERED AS A VALUABLE HISTORICAL DOCUMENT. THE VIDEO HAS BEEN UPLOADED WITH EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES. ITS TOPIC IS REPRESENTED WITHIN HISTORICAL CONTEXT. THE VIDEO DOES NOT CONTAIN SENSITIVE SCENES AT ALL!

Видео Cowboys on the WW2 Home Front | Life on a Ranch in the 1940s | Documentary | ca. 1942 канала The Best Film Archives