In modern times, cigarettes have gradually become a necessity in the wartime army, from the general down to the soldiers are very fond of this kind of thing, the image of the American five-star General MacArthur in people's minds is a soldier with a toad mirror and a large pipe. But for another thing, alcohol, all troops are strictly forbidden, and only at special times will they let their subordinates drink. Smoking has many risks, such as easy to cause fires, fires are easy to expose targets, etc., but the armies of various countries still smoke and drink alcohol.
Tobacco was introduced from the New World in the 16th century to Eurasia, which has a history of more than 500 years, and the reason why people like smoking is because the temporary anesthetic effect of tobacco can greatly satisfy people's psychology. For soldiers, smoking is beneficial to alleviate the psychological trauma of the battlefield. With the widespread use of firearms in the battlefield, war has entered the era of hot weapons, and the war at this time is more brutal, the psychological pressure on soldiers is greater, in order to temporarily relieve tension, smoking has become an indispensable military project.
The First World War really made mankind see the cruelty of war, and the trench warfare on the Western Front made the soldiers on both sides of the battle suffer from both psychological and physical torture, and cigarettes became the "best companion" for these soldiers. In 1917 alone, more than 10 million cigarettes were supplied to the Allied army.
During World War II, cigarettes were even more important in the military, and during the Stalingrad War, the Soviet army on the defensive side even used cigarettes as a currency in the military. In Germany, Hitler was a thorough anti-smoker, who had implemented a three-month anti-smoking decree in the army, but in the end it was stopped because of the fierce resistance of the soldiers, and the dictator's will still could not resist the soldiers' willingness to smoke, which showed the charm of cigarettes.
For the British and American allies, cigarettes were an indispensable strategic material. The British mainland could not grow tobacco for climatic reasons, and the British government transported it from overseas colonies, because the British navy was very powerful at that time, firmly controlling the Mediterranean and Atlantic seas. Later, the German submarine force under Dönitz's leadership carried out unlimited submarine warfare in the vast Atlantic Ocean, sinking past Allied merchant ships, and even so, britain did not give up, but imported tobacco from the United States, Virginia, an important tobacco producer, to provide the Allies with a steady supply of tobacco. In addition, American farmers who grew tobacco in wartime were exempt from military service, and the U.S. Army and Navy relied heavily on cigarettes, and someone once quipped that U.S. warships were driven by heavy oil, cigarettes and coffee.
The supply of cigarettes in the military has been given so much attention by governments because the benefits in the military far outweigh the disadvantages. Soldiers on the battlefield are ordinary people, not war machines, there will be emotions and desires, but the battlefield is cruel and merciless, and the anesthetic effect of cigarettes can make soldiers feel a little comfort.
In the eyes of ordinary soldiers, they are equivalent to living a day and earning a day, so the enjoyment of reality is the most important. For senior officers, they need to rack their brains to make battle plans, and cigarettes can serve as a refreshing and relaxing role, and sometimes smoke can also provide inspiration. In addition, cigarettes that rely on fire to light can bring a little warmth to soldiers in the cold night.
Until now, cigarettes have been part of the war rations in the Russian and American armies. U.S. troops involved in the war on terror in Afghanistan and Iraq still smoke two mouthfuls in their spare time. Compared to the delirium and insanity that comes with alcoholism, smoking is of little harm to soldiers and the army, and although smoking can be harmful to the body when injured, it is nothing for soldiers who may die for their country at any time.
Finally, for us ordinary people, for the health of others, please do not smoke in public.