Posted on 01/04/2022 9:20:11 AM PST by mylife
American GIs in World War II did not get to experience many creature comforts. Sustained mostly by C-Rations and whatever could be made in a field kitchen, troops were halfway around the world from the tastes of home. There was one exception. Every serviceman had access to a supply of Coca-Cola. This was done through a global network of bottling plants, technological innovations, and an entire unit whose job was to ensure that soda supplies never ran dry.
In 1943, Dwight Eisenhower sent a request to the head of Coca-Cola. Eisenhower requested 10 portable Coca-Cola factories near the frontlines. This came after Coke President Robert Woodruff had previously stated that any American servicemen would be able to get a Coke during the war no matter what it cost the company. With a request from Eisenhower, it was time for the soda producer to put up or shut up, and they came through with a plan that far exceeded the original 10 factories.
64 Coca-Cola bottling facilities were made for the war effort. These would not have been as successful as they were, though, without the aid of the Technical Observers. This might sound like an obscure military rank, and it sort of was. What the Technical Observers (or TOs) really were were Coca-Cola representatives uniformed in fatigues who were tasked with ensuring that GIs had Coke available to them regardless of where they were. 148 TOs helped quench the thirst of servicemen.
(Excerpt) Read more at cracked.com ...
I wonder why the story writer failed to mention the Coca Cola provided to the Nazis.
We had 2 jabs at the ready on the subs, atropine and morphine.
No Coke, “bug juice” and coffee.
Aww Jeeze...
Sorry I still believe Georgia should have the right to determine their own elections, so I still won’t drink their crap.
Coca Cola went woke years ago.
Actually the syrup was cut off to Nazi Germany, so the German bottler was forced to create another beverage-an orange soda called “Fanta”.
I’ll take a morphine, to go...
Weird photo above.
They are not actually drinking it but just have the bottle up to their lips.
After the war started Coca-Cola lost control of their German bottling. The company was forced to supply soda to civilians by the government. But they had to do it without coke, as the syrup supply was cut off. So they invented Fanta. So what you’re saying is only half true.
CC
they also gave the boys plenty of cigarettes. Everyone that came out of the service smoked.
And they called the Nazis racist? Man! I luv orange drank! Purple drank too...
;)
I thought that Fanta was the German replacement for Coca Cola products.
One of the funniest movies of all time!
Peripetchikoff : No formula, NO DEAL!
C.R. MacNamara : OK, NO DEAL!
Borodenko : We do not need you! If we want Coca-cola, we invent it ourselves!
C.R. MacNamara : Oh, yeah? In 1956 you flew a bottle of Coke to a secret laboratory in Sverdlosk. A dozen of your top chemists went nuts trying to analyze the ingredients. Right?
Mishkin : No comment!
C.R. MacNamara : And in 1958, you planted two undercover agents in Atlanta to steal the formula. And what happened? They both defected! And now they’re successful businessmen in Florida packaging instant borscht. Right?
Peripetchikoff : No comment!
C.R. MacNamara : Last year you put out a cockamamie imitation “Kremlin-kola!” You tried it out in the satellite countries, but even the Albanians wouldn’t drink it. They used it for SHEEP DIP! RIGHT?
Mishkin : No comment!
C.R. MacNamara : So either get down to business or get off the pot!
Peripetchikoff : My dear American friend, if we are to live together in peaceful coexistence, there must be a certain amount of give and take.
C.R. MacNamara : Oh, sure - we give and you take.
Peripetchikoff : What is the matter - you do not trust us?
C.R. MacNamara : No comment!
And that occasional coca-cola had by young men as a small comfort during a time of stress and privation gave them very warm memories for the drink when they got home.
Intended or not, it was a fantastic marketing exercise, and made the Coca-Cola brand for the next 20 years.
“Schlemmer, you’re back in the SS....Small Salary!”
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