Boston woke up on Dec. 8, 1941 a changed, frightened and determined city. With war declared, Boston felt particularly vulnerable, given its position right on the coast. But Boston also rolled up its sleeves to help fend off the Axis. Scores of Leslie Jones photos posted by the BPL this week give a taste of life in wartime.

The State House's golden dome was painted over, to keep Beacon Hill from becoming a, well, beacon for Nazi warships (a skylight at MIT's Great Dome was similarly covered up; MIT only began restoring it last fall):

From nob neighborhoods to the North End, residents tore down their wrought-iron fences in scrap drives to help the war effort. Gov. Saltonstall did his part - helping to tear down the fences around the State House, starting with a ceremonial torching of Hitler on Oct. 5, 1942:

Celebrities visited Boston and Massachusetts, including actress Dorothy Lamour, who appeared in Fall River to promote war bonds:

Captured German and Japanese aircraft and flags, were paraded down Tremont and put on the Common as further incentives to work harder:

The MFA took down sculptures that might fall during a bombing run and readied special frames and sandbag barriers for paintings:

At the meat markets of Faneuil Hall, meat became a scarce commodity:

Hitler was hanged in effigy:

And even girls at Brighton High School were allowed into shop classes:

Photos from the BPL War Days collection. Posted under this Creative Commons license.