Most of the comments are about WWII, but let's remember they also survived the great depression, without government stimulus, unemployment, and food stamps. They had soup kitchens and the government established work programs, so people could earn government assistance.
@lasergraph My father was a child during the Great Depression. He and his family were very hungry, but they always had applesauce on the back of the stove, from the apple tree in the back yard, and they usually had bread...but no milk.
