I've thought about THE SILENT GENERATION title & reckon it could also be because, in those days, we kids were told not to speak unless spoken to first, but speak when you're spoken to, watch your manners, say please & thank you, look where you are going, respect your elders, give your tram seat to an older person, eat all your vegies, pick up after yourself, & so the list goes on. I think all that discipline never hurt us.
I agree with you 100% Joy....and don't forget when a child finished their meal they asked....may I leave the table please?
As for the adults being silent, they were too busy just trying to survive and improve their lives. They were not into whining, complaining, being aggressvie to their neighbours, complaining about food shortages and using food coupons,or taking people to court for petty reason.
All this without household appliances, or accessible birth control (I wonder where the expression 'tied to the kitchen stove with a belly full of arms and legs' came from)
Right after the war, with the housing shortages, and so many returned soldiers getting married, they thanked their lucky stars if they found a furnished garage to rent, and they saved for years for a deposit on a very humble home.
Boy, we sure have it easy today compared with those days.
