The common thread I find with the entire WW2 generation, in both the US and UKicon, was that was the sense of duty they all had. Whether in the service, the factories, or the home front doing victory gardens, scrap drives and buying bonds, everyone did their part (and proud to do it!). The idea of not doing it was so foreign to them, it was not even an option. People just stepped "up to the plate" and performed their duty. The incredible production of over 6 million carbines by jukebox, typewriter, postal meter, and auto parts companies in 4 years is an allegory for the whole war effort and experience of the country. Speaking as a History teacher, it is unparalleled in History.