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[personal profile] mbarker
I'm not sure what I think about this.

We were watching a TV drama set in WW2 times. And as the family gathered around their table, I noticed that they were all wearing little capes. Just covered their shoulders, with ribbons around their necks. I asked whether those were for cold or what?

Someone took pity on my ignorance and explained that the Japanese government had recommended these when the B29 bombers were flying. It was a hood and shoulder cover, stuffed with cotton, that you were supposed to wear all the time. These were home made, of course. And when the sirens went off, you should pull it up and cover your head. Sort of a portable duck-and-cover. Not quite as much protection as a rigid helmet, I think, but I suppose it was a little better than nothing.

Later in the show, they have houses burning and collapsed, and the characters are wearing their hoods.

One of those odd bits of history. Kind of bitter-sweet sad to think that they were living with the possibility of bombs falling anytime, and that these hoods were as much control over their own fates as they had. But at least they took that much!

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