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America’s Vices in World War II
How beer and cigarettes helped fuel the U.S. victory
Drinking beer and smoking cigarettes were universally accepted vices in 1940s America. While both were an integral part of life before World War II, it may be surprising to learn that drinking and smoking actually played a leading role when America went to war.
A Patriotic Beverage that’s Good for Your Health
From 1920 to 1933, alcoholic beverages in the United States, including beer, were officially banned due to Prohibition. With the end of Prohibition, the American beer industry revived production in earnest. It is not without irony that American beer was modeled after lager created in Germany. In the 1940s, American beer production was dominated by big breweries such as Anheuser Busch and the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company. Both companies were started by German immigrants.
When the United States entered the war after Pearl Harbor, popular beer brands including Anheuser Busch’s Budweiser and Schlitz made sure to be among the most patriotic advertisers. But the reaches of the beer industry went far beyond individual product advertising. The Brewery Industry Foundation (BIF) launched a massive public relations campaign whose goal was to associate beer with patriotism. Beer was positioned to the…
