This Collection of Photos Show Disturbing Daily Life in Gas Masks During WWII

A German woman in a gas mask with a stroller walking through the empty streets. Cracked

Nursery school children at play wearing their gas masks. This photo seems to suggest that wearing gas masks could be fun. The masks were not very nice to wear though. BBC

Parisians walk their gas mask-equipped dogs, 1939. Getty Images

A patriotic group of children from Leningrad ready to defend their homeland. Cracked

A child wearing a Mickey Mouse inspired gas mask in attempts to normalize the state of war. gizmodo

Designed to fit kids 18 months to four years old, the mask was supposed to be worn as a sort of game, to take away some of the fear out of a chemical attack. gizmodo

Mothers outfitting their children with “baby helmets”. rarehistoricalphotos

A horde of children wearing gas masks carries out a practice evacuation of a school in Kingston, Greater London after a canister of tear gas was discharged. 1941. allthatisinteresting

London schoolchildren try on their gas masks. 1941. allthatisinteresting

Although Ramshaw the eagle is hooded, this little evacuee decided to take no chances and made use of her gas mask to take a closer look at the eagle. England. 1941. allthatisinteresting

A woman fits a child with a gas mask at school. England. Circa 1940. allthatisinteresting

Bookkeepers prepare for a gas attack in Odessa, Russia, 1935. STANLEY B. BURNS, MD & THE BURNS ARCHIVE

“Everybody Can Be Fitted With Gas Masks in London Town!” 1935. atlasobscura

Gas mask training for switchboard operators, London, 1938. atlasobscura

Police wear gas masks in defense drills, Paris, 1935. atlasobscura

Gas masks in an operating room at Botkin Hospital, Moscow, 1936. atlasobscura

Issuing gas masks at the Munster Road School in Fulham, London, 1938. atlasobscura

Descending to safety in a London air raid tunnel, 1938. atlasobscura