WWII Rations and Mess Kits

The US rations of today no longer come with cigarettes though. I remember recieving C-rats in the 70's that still had them. That shows how important they were back then and before. Especially for morale.

 

I am also amused at how politically incorrect issuing cigarettes with rations would be today. But stimulants of all kinds are very sought after on the battlefield. Being a smoker, I can say that nicotine enhances concentration when you are totally worn or freaked out.

Having troopers going mad with nicotine craving is not my idea of running an alert, effective unit. I'd say given how much people smoked that would have been a concern too. It of course did not help out cut off troops to have neither food or smokes.

 

Now I wonder what the preference was for when smoking. Tobacco,Cigarettes or cigars? And if certain types of each were preferred. Or origin? I have read somewhere that Soviet cigarettes were the worst IIRC.

 

I am not nearly as well-read as some of us on WW2F at the material history but it seems that loose tobacco smoked with the pipe or rolled with scrounged paper was fairly common. I do faintly recall reading about the Russian blend that was very harsh.

 

German soldiers smoking looted American cigarettes during the Battle of the Bulge

 

WWII Russian cigarettes

 

"White Sea Channel"?

 

I love the "red" boundaries on these cig packs, lol

 

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WW2 Soviet tobacco -Mahorka. A coarse and harsh Russian tobacco with a unique smell.

 

"We're ready to fight"
Soldier's song about common tobacco used Russian army

SovMusic.ru - Mahorka tobacco

 

That's it! Exactly what I was trying to remember.

 

IIRC, Russian cigaretes came with a paper filter because the intensely strong and aromatic smoke from the burning tobacco made it hard to inhale.

 

Use of tobacco among World War II soldiers had an extraordinary effect on relieving the tedium of war, but hooked an entire generation into nicotine addiction. Lucky Strikes were free and tobacco companies made it a patriotic duty to contribute to the war effort. Such was the importance of tobacco use among troops that when asked General John J. Pershing said, "You ask me what we need to win the war? I answer tobacco as much as bullets"

Welcome to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center - History of Tobacco Use

 

Japanese cigarettes

 

The Versatile P38 Can Opener

Most troops carried it on their dog tags. More than just a can opener, in time the P-38 acquired 1001 uses: all-purpose toothpick, fingernail cleaner, screwdriver, bottle opener, box cutter, letter opener, chisel, scraper, stirrer, etc.
For World War II veterans, and then Korean War and Vietnam vets as well, the P-38 is a souvenir, a bonafide historical artifact worthy of retention. Countless old soldiers still carry a P-38 on their key chain a half century after the fact, or preserve it along with other cherished items from the war.
The P-38 was finally phased out when the C-Rations, last of the canned meals, were replaced by MREs.
Click here to download a detailed article on the history of the P-38 Can Opener. The little can opener is often called "the Army's best invention".
Instruction Sheet for the P-38 Can Opener

Below on the left is a copy of an instruction sheet showing proper use of the P38 from a DoD specification MIL-O-20582A dated 28 November 1956. It gives the official name for the P38: OPENER, CAN, HAND, FOLDING.
Among many other details this specification states in Section 3.3.5 that "Marking for Identification" shall include: "The letters U.S. and the manufacturer's name or trade name..." Packaging is specified as an individual envelope which are then put in boxes of 1000 envelopes (for general use -- special purposes can differ). So if you pick up a P38 that is supposedly "genuine surplus" from the 1950s or so, look for the US and an individual envelope package, such as on the right just below.

P-38 Can Opener Instruction Sheet.


P-38 Can Opener Original package.

 

Heck, I have a couple of these in my kitchen drawer! We can still find them in outdoors shops!

 

I have the P-38 and the larger P-51. Both come in handy. Makes me wonder what the other armies used as an official can opener.