WW2 “Chocolate” Bars

The Chocolate Bars of WWII

The most famous chocolate from the military is the Ration D bar. This chocolate bar was given out to soldiers during WWII, not as a treat but as a means of survival. The specified requirements were:

• The bars needed to be about four ounces.
• They needed to resist melting at high temperatures.
• The chocolate had to be calorie dense.
• It couldn’t taste too good.

The last requirement may seem a bit bizarre, but the military had good reason for the request. They didn’t want soldiers to gobble down the chocolate for a treat. They meant it to be a survival food that provided calories when they were needed most.

The Ration D bar was meant to be eaten slowly.

This candy bar was not popular with anyone, most of all soldiers. Many of them actually just threw out the candy that was in their rations because they could not stomach it. “Hitler’s Secret Weapon” was what the candy was called because it caused such intense digestive upset in some people. The bars were so tough to chew that those with dental issues would not eat them either. People with bad teeth had to shave small slices off the bar and suck on them.

My apologies for a cut and paste diary. My eyesight is failing, and this all took way too long, rather than being a happy go lucky romp. Possibly, this may be one of, or my final diary.

Cheers