War Gardens appeared during both World Wars to help households save money, improve health, and sustain morale. The WWII version became known as "Victory Gardens." Government guidance lists purposes: increase production and consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables via home, school, and community plots; encourage storage and preservation of surplus for family, school lunch, welfare, and local emergency needs; enable families and institutions to reduce vegetable costs; provide community gardening opportunities for urban residents lacking garden space; and maintain morale and spiritual well-being through beautification, exercise, recreation, and relief from wartime stress.
During both World Wars, patriotic Americans were encouraged to plant War Gardens in order to help households save money, become healthier, and maintain their morale in wartime. Branded as "Victory Gardens" in WWII, these often-urban produce plots are apocryphally remembered today as having served the purpose of preserving commercially grown crops for military use even though that justification is found nowhere in the U.S. government's five-paragraph statement of purpose for the Victory Garden program.
Increase the production and consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits by more and better home, school, and community gardens, to the end that we become a stronger and healthier Nation. Encourage the proper storage and preservation of the surplus from such gardens for distribution and use by families producing it, local school lunches, welfare agencies, and for local emergency food needs.
Provide through the medium of community gardens, an opportunity for gardening by urban dwellers and others who lack suitable home garden facilities. Maintain and improve the morale and spiritual well-being of the individual, family, and Nation. The beautification of the home and community by gardening provides healthful physical exercise, recreation, definite release from war stress and strain.
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