Before taxes took all the new payrolls away, before rationing got too tough, the people had decided to enjoy themselves. Some men were troubled that the spirit of sacrifice was not abroad (see box). But whether or not men took the war to heart in every town that had a wartime boom, men followed their instinct: eat. drink and make merry for tomorrow we fight. There every night is Saturday night and Saturday night is New Year's Eve. For example:
Gambling Seattle. Staid Seattle, its population swollen from 368,000 to 508,000 by war...
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