Dim-out of 1945
The Dim-out of 1945 was a nationwide initiative in the United States aimed at reducing light pollution during the final stages of World War II. Following the end of the war in Europe, this program required cities to limit artificial lighting by closing stores by dusk, shutting down restaurants and nightclubs at midnight, and turning off neon signs and reducing street lighting. Unlike previous blackouts, which were primarily motivated by fears of enemy attacks, the dim-out was framed as a patriotic effort to conserve fuel for the military's final offensive. This initiative, although inconvenient for businesses, was viewed as an improvement over blackouts, which often led to accidents and increased crime due to complete darkness. The dim-out was ultimately lifted on V-E Day, marking a significant moment in American history. Additionally, the measures taken during the dim-out set a precedent for future fuel conservation efforts, notably during the energy crisis of the 1970s, when similar calls for reduced energy consumption emerged. Overall, the Dim-out of 1945 reflects a unique intersection of wartime necessity and civic responsibility in American society.
Dim-out of 1945
The Event Federally mandated national reduction in lighting from dusk to dawn
Date January 15, 1945-May 8, 1945
Place Throughout the United States
To spare domestic energy for use in warfare, in which fuel was a strategic commodity, the Office of War Mobilization and Reconversion imposed a mandatory program reducing commercial consumption across America.
Blackouts were instituted voluntarily immediately following the attack on Pearl Harbor, out of fear of incoming enemy aircraft, which could use lights to hone in on targets. The necessity for such precautions became evident after Allied ships, silhouetted against bright East Coast cities, proved easy pickings for German U-boats. From early 1942, seaward lights remained extinguished at night. Lights also could be used by aerial bombers. Blackouts and dim-outs continued periodically on both coasts throughout the war.
Unlike previous programs, the dim-out of 1945 affected cities across the United States. Stores closed by dusk, restaurants and nightclubs shut down at midnight, neon signs remained dark, and street lighting was cut back. The dim-out was perceived as part of the patriotic cause rather than as a safety measure: The American military needed fuel to make the final push toward victory, and the dim-out was a conservation measure.
Impact
Though an inconvenience to businesses, the dim-out—particularly for cities on both coasts—was an improvement upon blackouts, during which accidents were commonplace and crime flourished. The day of the declaration of the end of the war in Europe (V-E Day), the dim-out was lifted. It was something of a precedent for the fuel conservation efforts in response to the energy crisis of the 1970’s, which involved presidential pleas to use less energy for home heating and plans whereby automobile owners could buy gasoline only every other day.
Bibliography
Hoopes, Roy. Americans Remember the Home Front. New York: Berkeley Trade, 2002.
Lotchin, Roger W. The Bad City in the Good War: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Oakland, and San Diego. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2003.
Wagner, Margaret E., Linda Barrett Osborne, and Susan Reyburn. The Library of CongressWorld War II Companion. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2007.