Alcohol and the Asia-Pacific War (1937-1945)

‘Drunken soldiers’ feature prominently in the accounts of atrocities committed by the Japanese armed forces during the Asia-Pacific War (1937-1945). Drunkenness is often mentioned as a factor that contributed to rape, murder and other brutalities reported across Asia. To be sure, Japanese were not the only drunken soldiers in World War II. Drinking to ‘overcome’ fear was a practice openly admitted by all parties to the conflict; the canteens near the front lines contained brandy, whisky, or gin almost as often as water. This paper explores the place of alcohol in the Asia-Pacific War, focusing on the American and Japanese troops.