From the title of this post, you might think that this post would be about the latest drug bust or capture of another 10 kg’s of Coke.
However, it’s really about the seemingly ongoing reliance of drugs by modern day armies that ‘allows’ their troops to overcome the various nasties of war that service personal will have to endure as they perform their duties.
Reading through a backlog of TIME magazines over the weekend led me to America’s Medicated Army. I had not realised just how much legally dispensed drugs appears to now be part of modern day army life!
Although the TIME story focuses on the US Army’s use of drugs such a Prozac [2] and Zoloft [2] by its personnel to ease the pressures of combat, it is not the first time that induced dutch courage has been used by battle field commander to encourage their troops engagements.
Generals, history shows, have plied their troops with medicinal palliatives at least since George Washington ordered rum rations at Valley Forge. During World War II, the Nazis fuelled their blitzkrieg into France and Poland with the help of an amphetamine known as Pervitin. The U.S. Army also used amphetamines during the Vietnam War.
Time magazine – 5th June 2008
We all remember the stories about US GI’s being high on various concoctions during the Vietnam War – I met a few myself on visits to Bangkok during the 70’s. One may have thought that this was just part of the late 60’s/early 70’s general drug scene, however looking at the Nazi link above I uncovered this background info about the use of Pervitin and Isophan (a variant) by its soldiers during their aggressive invasions of France and Poland.
So common was the use of these drugs by German troops that one soldier even wrote home to his parents…
In one letter – “Perhaps you could get me some more Pervitin so that I can have a backup supply?” In another – “If at all possible, please send me some more Pervitin.”
Heinrich Boell – 19th July 1940
The letters were written only 4 weeks apart!
So massive was the use of these types of drugs that between April and July of 1940, more than 35 million tablets of Pervitin and Isophan were shipped to the German army and air force.
But what about the UK armed forces use of drugs? Drugs have been an ongoing and increasing problem throughout its forces and seems to be affecting all ranks…
- Drug-taking troops provoke army crisis
- British Army captains face court martial over cocaine charges
- 769 Positive Drug Tests in British Army Last Year
However, it seems that the British Army is not suffering to the same degree as the US Army story relates in any officially over encouraged use of drugs to carry out daily duties, well not at least that I could find any evidence on the Internet. Of course someone else may not better!
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