The Taste of War: World War II and the Battle for Food - Book Review

"The Taste of War: World War II and the Battle for Food" by Lizzie Collingham is a excellent book on a quite neglected topic: food policy during World War 2, its underlying philosophy and its consequences.

There are plenty of references in books and movies to food during the war: from the diminishing rice in a civilian internment camp in China (J. G. Ballard's biographical "Empire of the Sun" and its corresponding movie by Spielberg), the chocolate of US paratroopers in "Band of Brothers", the hunger of the Leningrad siege, kids waiting for the scraps in "The Big Red One" to Japanese soldiers desperately scavenging for food in Powell's "The Soldier". There is even quite cited research on the effects of the Dutch Hongerwinter famine of 1944. And yet food supply and strategies are rarely explicitly described, even though they had an immense impact (between 19 and 25 million dead due to famine)

This book is extremely well researched, presenting the policies, context and actions of the contenders. Germany's lesson from WWI (autarky and lebensraum) that lead to 'efficient' rationing, management of the occupied territories, the Hunger Plan, genocide and the "useless eaters". Japan's early forays into scientific military nutrition, and yet an under-supplied army, expansionist policies, food shortages in the homeland and abroad (specially China and Chinese PoWs but also elsewhere in the "Sphere of Co-Prosperity"), and the devastating effects of the US blockade. Britain's egalitarian approach to rationing, the mobilization of the Commonwealth (and the Bengal Famine) and the key Battle of the Atlantic to keep the food supply open. United State's abundance and the stark difference between their troop's welfare and that of its allies. The Soviet perseverance in hunger conditions. All this had not only an effect on how the war was conducted and number of casualties, but also far reaching consequences in the shaping of post-war societies.

 Lots of interesting titbits, fascinating all around, and bringing a wider perspective of WW2 beyond battles and politics. Even if you are not interested in war-related topics, this political economy (kinda) perspective will certainly be informative and eye opening. The writing is good and flows well, although the way it is organized can sometimes be confusing. Recommended!!