Just tell anyone to go dig a hole in their back yard the size of a foxhole. By the end of the project they will be filthy. Now think if you did that day after day with no laundry. Even if you could shave you'd be filthy. People were dirtier then too even in civillian life. Showers were very rare---people didn't bathe often either they usually just "washed up" once or twice a day. Shampoo wasn't available for most women and few if any men were using it--anther reason why pomade was so popular(men's hair was going to be pretty greasy anyway). Combine that with all the manual labor and the layers of clothing people wore--and the omnipresence of cigarette smoke and a 40's American would probably be detected by smell alone by a modern person before they were even seen. Now imagine once those few standards were relaxed while living in the field.....
I agree wholeheartedly and can't stand at reenactments when the BDU 70's and 80's army guys give you shit for being too dirty. It's one of those oft-overlooked things that most of them will just never get.
Just tell anyone to go dig a hole in their back yard the size of a foxhole. By the end of the project they will be filthy. Now think if you did that day after day with no laundry. Even if you could shave you'd be filthy.
ReplyDeletePeople were dirtier then too even in civillian life. Showers were very rare---people didn't bathe often either they usually just "washed up" once or twice a day. Shampoo wasn't available for most women and few if any men were using it--anther reason why pomade was so popular(men's hair was going to be pretty greasy anyway).
Combine that with all the manual labor and the layers of clothing people wore--and the omnipresence of cigarette smoke and a 40's American would probably be detected by smell alone by a modern person before they were even seen.
Now imagine once those few standards were relaxed while living in the field.....
I agree wholeheartedly and can't stand at reenactments when the BDU 70's and 80's army guys give you shit for being too dirty. It's one of those oft-overlooked things that most of them will just never get.
ReplyDelete