Cola for Marshal of Victory, or How the USA secretly supplied soda for Zhukov
Even great people have their little weaknesses. Marshal Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov had such a “fad” as sweet soda. Marshal of Victory especially respected American Coca-Cola, but for obvious reasons he could not advertise his preferences. But the cunning manufacturer still found a way out of the situation and released a special drink for the Soviet military leader.
Soon after the end of World War II, the Iron Curtain separated from the capitalist world. Because of this, trade with the United States almost completely ceased. For ordinary residents of the country of the Soviets, this did not become a problem, but Marshal Georgy Zhukov, unexpectedly, lost his favorite drink.
During the war, Georgy Konstantinovich acquired an addiction that was not suitable for the Soviet commander - he fell in love with Coca-Cola, which the Americans supplied to the front. When cola was banned along with other American goods, Zhukov could no longer openly receive the drink from the allies. A marshal drinking enemy soda is unlikely to be understood in the Kremlin, especially after the war hero fell into disgrace with Stalin.
When the United States entered the war, Coca-Cola Company President Robert Woodruff supported his country with more than just the dollar. He ordered that "every man in uniform be given a five-cent bottle of Coke, wherever he may be, and whatever the cost to the company." Woodruff's instructions were carried out unquestioningly and there was a stake everywhere where an American soldier could be found.
To make things as easy as possible, Coca-Cola factories appeared right along the front line. From the USA, the company sent 100 employees to Europe, some of whom even received military ranks and awards. In 1943, thanks to General Dwight Eisenhower, cola also appeared among fighters in North Africa.
The future president himself was a big fan of the drink, and under his patronage the manufacturer received an order for 6 million bottles per month! They began to drink cola not only to American soldiers, but also to all allies. Marshal Zhukov became addicted to the truly American drink thanks to Eisenhower - during a meeting with the general, he was first presented with a bottle of cola to quench his thirst.
For the last two years of the war, Zhukov enjoyed a drink that was exotic for a Soviet person. He received cola from the Americans right up to 1946, and then it became dangerous. That is why the marshal came up with an original idea - to disguise an American product under... vodka. To do this, it was necessary to rid cola of one of its main properties - its rich brown color.
Georgy Konstantinovich asked General Mark Clark, commander of the American sector of occupied Austria, to find out if this was possible. The American conveyed Zhukov's request to President Harry Truman, who puzzled James Farley, head of the Coca-Cola Export Corporation, a company that supplies cola to Europe.
Technologists quickly figured out how to remove color from cola without depriving it of its characteristic taste. To do this, it was only necessary to remove the caramel from the original recipe. The well-known bottles also had to be replaced - especially for Zhukov, the unusual cola was poured into the most ordinary glass container, unrelated to the Coca-Cola Company.
Moreover, the artists of the American company even developed special white covers with a red star. So they created the most user-friendly design possible. Soon, 50 boxes of “vodka” for Marshal Zhukov were delivered to Vienna and safely transported into the Soviet occupation zone. Everything that crossed the demarcation line was carefully checked, but the “alcohol” with a red star on the lid looked so convincing that no one paid attention to it.
There is no information about whether such exclusive batches of Coca-Cola were ever produced for the Soviet military leader. Perhaps the “military trick” was used in the future - history is silent about this.
By the way, before World War II, the Coca-Cola company shamelessly fed the Nazis its drinks. Export to the Third Reich ceased only with the official outbreak of war.