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One of the challenges that Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, faced as she fought for women's right to use birth control was the double standard regarding condom use. Doctors were allowed to "prescribe" condoms to protect men from syphilis and gonorrhea when they had pre-marital or extra-marital sexual intercourse. Women, however, could not get condoms to protect themselves from unintended pregnancy. Similarly, the Nazi government of Germany would not allow the use of condoms, or any other kind of birth control, by its citizens. They were expected to breed warriors to create a one-race world of "Aryans." But the Nazi military did allow soldiers to use condoms to keep them on the front lines instead of crowding their barracks nursing illnesses caused by syphilis and gonorrhea. By World War II, military leaders had a more realistic attitude about condoms. Concerned that "our boys" would bring home diseases and infect their wives, they aggressively promoted the use of condoms. Government training films urged soldiers, "Don't forget—put it on before you put it in." In fact, in 1942, condoms were issued to soldiers during the landing on Dunkirk. They were used to cover and protect rifle barrels from being damaged by salt water as the soldiers waded ashore.

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