> During WWII beekeeping was encouraged... 
> After the war, the realization came that this was far too many colonies...
> ...There simply was not a demand for that much honey, so prices caved.

Honey was never the issue.  Beeswax still had tactical value in WWII.

During World War II, lots of beeswax was needed as a stabilizer for RDX, an
early form of "plastic explosive". When it was mixed with beeswax in the
"Woolworth Method", it was very stable, and it could be used in mines,
torpedoes, and other munitions that might have to sit for months of exposure
to "the elements" without degrading or randomly exploding for no good
reason.  A petro-chemical replacement for the beeswax was developed, but it
was tricky to make and use, while beeswax was a known-reliable ingredient.
After the war, RDX plants went back to making bakelite and other plastics,
so the bulk beeswax market went kaput.
 
I have a thin hardbound book printed during the war instructing ladies in
the basics of beekeeping.  I am sure it does not mention explosives at all,
but it certainly did mention "the war effort".

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