Coca-Cola and the role it played in WWII

Are you a Coke person or a Pepsi person? During WWII, Coca-Cola played a strategic role in the war effort, becoming more than just a soft drink—it was a tool for winning hearts and minds. Its widespread availability to soldiers and symbolic presence boosted morale and helped cement its place in global culture.

When the U.S. entered WWII, Coca-Cola president Robert Woodruff issued a 1941 directive ensuring that "every man in uniform gets a bottle of Coca-Cola for 5 cents, wherever he is and whatever it costs the Company." Despite wartime inflation, the price remained 5 cents for both service members and civilians throughout the conflict.

Coca-Cola was considered so essential to the war effort that, during sugar rationing, President Roosevelt granted the company special permission to import sugar, ensuring production could continue.

Another example of winning hearts and minds—and demonstrating that the United States was more empathetic than the "evil" German army—was America's operation of POW camps primarily housing German prisoners. Each prisoner received a bottle of Coca-Cola with their rations. This decision not only showcased a gesture of humanity but also served as a means to spread American values, even in the toughest of circumstances.

"Coca-Cola Colonels" were established to oversee the complex logistics of sourcing ingredients from vast distances. These employees were responsible for ensuring product quality and consistency, often under challenging and dangerous conditions.

During the war, military personnel consumed over 5 billion bottles of Coke, along with countless servings from dispensers and mobile, self-contained units in combat zones. The war effort transformed Coca-Cola into a symbol of hope amid the chaos.