This Second World War postcard illustrates mateship between Australian and New Zealand soldiers, with men of the two countries sharing a smoke. Both world wars greatly encouraged the spread of smoking, and military authorities provided cigarettes and tobacco as part of normal rations. Smoking was seen as a way to calm the nerves of men caught up in frightening and stressful situations.
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Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference:
Eph-A-WAR-WII-1940s-04
Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.
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