World War II was a time of incredible sacrifice and bravery. The soldiers who fought in it gave everything they had to help win the war, often fighting on an empty stomach, going hungry for long periods, and eating whatever food they had access to. An army is dependent on supply lines, and food is right at the heart of it. As the famous saying goes, an army marches on its stomach.
During those turbulent times, spam or “preserved meat” became a necessity for nutrition. Experts are of the opinion that the name originated from the phrase “spiced ham” as slang used by soldiers in the field.
Whatever its origins, it was an important part of allied soldiers’ diets during World War II. At that time, canned meats and other preserved foods were seen as amazing innovations that would change how wars were fought. Not only did these foods stay fresh for longer periods of time without needing refrigeration, they also kept well enough to be shipped alongside fresh produce as a ration for troops on the frontlines.
Spam was made by the company Hormel Foods, who introduced it in 1937. It was a unique product for its time as it was sold in cans and could be eaten directly from the can without needing to be cooked.
By the time the U.S. got involved in WW2 in 1941, Spam had already grown quite popular with the American public. It was well distributed around the country, very popular, and was became an obvious choice for inclusion in military rations. Hormel had already been contracted to provide canned meats for troops since 1938. It proved to bean important source of protein for troops during the war.
The United States was a nation where food systems were largely focused on growing produce and meat for domestic consumption. While the country had started to build up a large commercial fishing fleet in the early part of the 20thcentury, the outbreak of WW2 meant that those boats were redirected to deliver food to their troops.
Although Spam was not the highest-quality food, it was quite nutritious for the time. It was rich in protein and vitamins, and had a lower fat content than bacon, which was commonly eaten by soldiers of that era. They needed to have a sufficient amount of nutrients to be able to complete their assigned tasks, and so they were given a smaller amount of Spam during the war. Sources reveal that soldiers were given one can per day, though conditions like location, rank and job would also influence the Spam distribution.
Spam wasn’t the only food that soldiers had available to them. They would get rations of other canned meats, fruits, and vegetables as well. Typical rations included canned ham, salmon, peaches, pears, carrots, and, occasionally, tomatoes. Spam was very versatile for them as they could easily make sandwiches with them,and provided a daily source of important nutrients and vitamins. Coffee was also important during the war, with soldiers typically being given a single can of coffee per day. It was rare to be given milk with coffee due to the difficulty in keeping milk fresh for long periods of time, especially with bullets and bombs all around.
Looking back, it’s clear that Spam was a critical part of the allied soldiers’ diets, and overall effort, during the war. It provided much-needed nutrients that helped them stay fit and active enough to fight for months on end. Over 68000 tons of Spam were sourced by the U.S. military during the war campaign. It earned effusive praise from British as well as Soviet leaders.
But at the same time, it did have some minor disadvantages. For one, it was often heavily processed and didn’t have nearly as many vitamins as fresh produce. That made it important for soldiers to have access to other foods like canned fruits and vegetables. The troops were getting tired of eating Spam over and over, and the lack of variety led to some soldiers craving more home-cooked foods, like their mothers or wives used to make.
Spam is still going strong in our modern era. The company sold its billionth can of Spam in 1959, its 8 billionths can in 2012. Hormel opened a Spam Museum dedicated to the product in 2001. In the future, it’s likely that we’ll see new types of foods and methods of preparation that will help soldiers survive and thrive on the frontlines of war. With the rise of drone technology and artificial intelligence, it’s also possible that food will play a vital role in determining the winner in the war.