Military

Coffee Rationing Began on This Day 79 Years Ago — And It Might Have Won World War II

November 29, 2021Hannah Ray Lambert
coffee rationing

Coffee was added to the list of items rationed in the United States on Nov. 29, 1942. Photo by Mike Kenneally, courtesy of Unsplash. Composite by Coffee or Die Magazine.

On Nov. 29, 1942, the United States implemented coffee rationing, limiting households to the equivalent of one cup per day.


But the Axis powers were cut off from the caffeinated beverage for much longer, which some historians think made a difference on the battlefield.


“You could argue that coffee is something that helped influence the victory of the democracies in World War II because we had it and the Axis didn’t,” Thomas Czekanski, senior curator at The National WWII Museum, told Coffee or Die Magazine.


As with much of the rationing in the United States, the scarcity of basic goods wasn’t the problem. Latin American countries were producing record amounts of coffee during the war. Instead, rationing aimed for a fair distribution of resources among all citizens and prioritizing the military for certain raw materials and shipping resources.


coffee rationing
Crewmen drink coffee aboard the USS Corvina while docked at New London, Connecticut, in 1943. Photo courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration.

During rationing, American families were allowed just 1 pound of coffee every five weeks, which amounted to less than a cup per day. A Nov. 30, 1942, article in Life magazine offered tips on “stretching” coffee rations to last longer. “Double dripping,” or reusing grounds to make watery cups of Joe, later became known as “Roosevelt coffee,” named after the president.  


Fortunately, coffee was rationed for less than a year and taken off the list in July 1943.


German citizens weren’t so lucky. The Allied powers controlled much of the world’s coffee and prevented Germany from importing any, so Germany was stuck with ersatz (German for “substitute”) coffee. Ersatz coffee used other organic materials — often acorns — to replace real coffee.


“Sort of like the Confederacy in the Civil War, you roast acorns and grind them,” Czekanski said. Chicory coffee, one of the substitutes coffee devotees turned to during rationing, remains popular in many places today, including New Orleans, where Czekanski lives.


Japan, on the other hand, voluntarily cut itself off from the caffeinated drink even before the war.


“They apparently regarded coffee as a Western influence, and they didn’t want to have Western influence,” Czekanski said.


Read Next: A Brief History of Instant Coffee



Hannah Ray Lambert
Hannah Ray Lambert

Hannah Ray Lambert is a former staff writer for Coffee or Die who previously covered everything from murder trials to high school trap shooting teams. She spent several months getting tear gassed during the 2020-2021 civil unrest in Portland, Oregon. When she’s not working, Hannah enjoys hiking, reading, and talking about authors and books on her podcast Between Lewis and Lovecraft.

More from Coffee or Die Magazine
dear jack mandaville
Dear Jack: Which Historic Battle Would You Want To Witness?

Ever wonder how much Jack Mandaville would f*ck sh*t up if he went back in time? The American Revolution didn't even see him coming.

west point time capsule
West Point Time Capsule Yields Centuries-Old Coins

A nearly 200-year-old West Point time capsule that at first appeared to yield little more than dust contains hidden treasure, the US Military Academy said.

Ouija Board aircraft carrier
Low-Tech ‘Ouija Boards’ Have Helped Aircraft Carriers Operate for Decades

Since the 1920s, a low-tech tabletop replica of an aircraft carrier’s flight deck has been an essential tool in coordinating air operations.

Army vs. Navy mascot
The Navy Goat vs. the Army Mule: Mascot Origin Stories

For nearly as long as the Army-Navy football rivalry, the academies’ hoofed mascots have stared each other down from the sidelines. Here are their stories.

ukraine long-range weapon
Zelenskyy Says Ukraine Has Developed a Long-Range Weapon, a Day After Strike Deep Inside Russia

Zelenskyy said on his Telegram channel the weapon was produced by Ukraine’s Ministry of Strategic Industries but gave no other details.

ambush
7 of the Best Movie Ambush Scenes of All Time

Ambushes make for great action scenes. Here are seven of the best to ever grace the big screen.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, with his daughter, center right, reportedly named Ju Ae, review the honor guard during their visit to the navy headquarter in North Korea
North Korea Launches Missile Toward Sea After US Flies Bomber During Drills

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the launch occurred Wednesday but gave no further details, such as how far the missile flew.

  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Careers
Contact Us
Contact Us
© 2023 Coffee or Die Magazine. All Rights Reserved