During World War II, the United States briefly banned the sale of pre-sliced bread as a wartime conservation measure, theorizing that keeping bread whole would prevent it from…

A closer look

During World War II, the United States briefly banned the sale of pre-sliced bread as a wartime conservation measure, theorizing that keeping bread whole would prevent it from going stale too quickly and thus reduce the national demand for wheat. The logic was that bakeries used heavier wax paper to wrap sliced bread, so eliminating it would supposedly save vital resources and streamline the domestic economy for the war effort. Predictably, the American public suffered an absolute collective meltdown over the minor inconvenience of having to slice their own sandwiches, forcing the government to rescind the order after just two months. It beautifully highlights that no matter how dire the global geopolitical situation gets, you can never ask consumers to temporarily give up their microscopic modern conveniences without sparking an immediate civilian revolt!