During World War II, American soldiers discovered their Hershey bars were worth far more than a sweet treat. In war-torn Europe and the Pacific, chocolate became a form of hard currency, traded for everything from fresh eggs to safe passage through enemy territory.

The U.S. military included Hershey bars in soldiers' rations, but their value skyrocketed once troops hit foreign soil. In countries where food was scarce and local currencies were unstable, a single chocolate bar could buy what money couldn't. Soldiers bartered Hershey bars for fresh food, laundry services, bicycle repairs, and local handicrafts. In some cases, chocolate secured far more valuable commodities—information about enemy movements or help from local resistance fighters.

Why Chocolate Became Gold

Chocolate was rare in wartime Europe and Asia. Bombings had destroyed factories, ingredients were impossible to source, and what little chocolate existed was reserved for the elite. When American GIs arrived with pockets full of Hershey bars, they were carrying portable wealth.

The bars had practical advantages as currency:

Universally desired across cultures and languages
Compact and lightweight for soldiers to carry
Stable in various climates (especially the heat-resistant Tropical Bar)
Easy to divide for smaller transactions

A Hershey bar could be worth several days' wages in local currency. Children would chase after American jeeps hoping for a single square. Adults traded family heirlooms for a full bar.

The Tropical Chocolate Bar

Hershey developed a special Ration D Bar for the military—a heat-resistant chocolate that could survive tropical climates without melting. It was deliberately made to taste just barely good enough to eat, so soldiers wouldn't devour their emergency rations. Despite its chalky, bitter flavor, even these unappetizing bars became valuable trade goods.

The regular Hershey bars, however, were the real prize. Their familiar taste reminded soldiers of home, but many chose to trade them instead. The exchange rate was simply too good to pass up.

After the war, the phrase "got any gum, chum?" became associated with European children approaching American soldiers, but chocolate was always the more valuable prize. Hershey bars helped win hearts and minds in ways military planners never anticipated, turning a simple candy into one of America's most effective diplomatic tools.

Related Tags