Did the allies use Benzedrine "Benzies" for D-Day?

Out of the Foxholes Questions
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I was watching the Boys on Amazon Prime and their was a throwaway line that the only reason the allies won D-Day was because of Benzies.

I have studied the war for years and this was the first I recall ever hearing this. Given its source being a fictional super hero show, I wonder how valid the statement is.

I know the Nazis used Pervitin, espeically during the Blitzkrieg, but I have never heard of the allies using “combat drugs”. I imagine this has been supress to not tarnish the allied history. Did the allies use Benzedrine? If so how extentive was its use? Only for D Day or did it persist throughout the war.

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methamphetamines were widely used by most militaries on both sides of the conflict throughout the war. There is also a topic here that covers the use of drugs during the war.

Lots of stories of soldiers being on a high for three days with no sleep or rest then collapsing in pure exhaustion from the effects of the drugs wearing off and sleeping the sleep of the dead for up to4 days after coming off the high. There are still militaries in the world today(mostly third world countries) that give their soldiers drugs during combat.

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Benzedrine is an amphetamine that was used widely, medicinally, legally… in many societies. It improved asthma, congestion and other health conditions. It is used today as remedy for a plethora of health conditions. It’s not surprising that soldier would have access to this drug. Was it abused?, of course, and I would suggest that many pubs in many places during the war had evidence of alcohol abuse concurrently-was either one worse?—another debate entirely.

The question is, did the US military use controlled substances in an non-medicinal approach to enhance performance in combat during D Day or other theaters in the second world war? The ‘high’ Nazi or Zulu warrior tactics that are what are most often talked about.

I would a appreciate a discussion with references on this matter in lieu of an impulse, ‘oh yeah, you know they did’ across all fronts…definitely.

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Nope. Benzidrine was thought to be a treatment for seasickness by some (e.g. “Benzidrine in Sea-Sickness”, British Medical Journal, December 4, 1937 - yes, 1937.)

But it isn’t better than a mixture of Sodium Bromide and Chloral hydrate.

As a “mood elevator” and “fatigue counteraction”, the US Army (and especially, the USAAF) were big fans of Benzidrine. The British - and especially the RAF - had the same enthusiasm.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/51788942_Medical_Science_and_the_Military_The_Allies'_Use_of_Amphetamine_during_World_War_II

details research done on both sides of the Atlantic, and the decision (regardless of clear evidence of addiction) to issue the drug. The Brits were using amphetamines through most of the war; the US from the time they were in major combat - 1943 on. (Benzidrine was also handed out during Korea, it turns out.)

HOWEVER, the Germans opposing them were using methamphetimine in the form of “Pervitin”, which they had been handing out like candy to soldiers from 1939 on.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=blitzed+drugs+in+the+third+reich&crid=2HSGQHPZ5R200&sprefix=blitzed%2Caps%2C158&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_1_7

details the uses by German soldiers (the drug was officially banned to the military in 1942 - becoming only available when ‘prescribed’ by a military doctor, which did absolutely nothing to stop its distribution and use in massive quantities.)

So, the worst we can say is that everybody was hopped up. It should be noted that prevalence of sea-sickness (which led me to the dead-end at the beginning of this post) would have made the effects of Benzedrine on invading infantry much diminished.

One thing that surprised me was that Montgomery ordered huge quantities of amphetamines for use by the 8th Army starting at the Allied offensive at El Alamein.

Hope this helps!

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Charles, this reference material is most helpful on this topic. Thank you for posting it, as well as your commentary.

John

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Oh, there’s always commentary :slight_smile:

But thanks!

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