Too young to have any personal experiance with WWII conditions, but the period up to and during has always held a facination for me, especially repurcussions on the homefront. ( On a totally unrelated note, I wish prez Bush had chosen "Dept of Homefront Security", just seems more in keeping with history in my eyes) The shortages and dificulties average citizens had to put up with were many and varied, no cars, very difficult at best to get guns or ammo, very limited amount of consumer goods, shortages of any number of food items etc... While I personally don't think it'd get that bad again I could easily be wrong and far too optomistic. Just think of the resulting consequences if someone were to smugle in and detonate a small nuke or dirty bomb in one of the main ports for shipping here in the US. Think how much everyday stuff is imported from China and elsewhere, shoes for example. You can't hardly find any not made in China, as a matter of fact it is depressingly hard to find much of anything not made in China anymore. If something happened to shut or slow down much of the shipping in goods that comes in to the US many folks would be in for a rude awakening as the shelves at Walmart and most other stores quickly became bare. Even traditional goods carried at Lehmans would be affected, as so much is made overseas. To get ready I think you might want to look at your consumables, stuff you use everyday and decide what would'nt be available in such a case. Something as simple as a can of tuna might disappear from shelves in such a scenario. I think basics, such as wheat, corn, milk, etc.. would be avialable as most is raised here for export, but imports of anything would be in short supply. Might not hurt to have a spare pair or two of boots stuck in the closet, make sure you have some extra maintenance supplies and a spare set of tires for the Toyota or Kubota. A fuel efficiant vehicle, with a back up of a good back with a spare set of tires and tubes could be a god-send if gas is scarce. Have a few cases of oil put back, just in case. A couple bricks of .22 and a case or two of shotgun shells would be comforting. A good bike with a spare set of tires and tubes would be handy if gas becomes scarce. A wood burner to heat the homestead in case heating oil gets scarce. All things easy to find now, maybe not then.
Manny