Facts and Stories from WWII That We Won’t Find in History Books

Originally, during WWII, soldiers would smoke their cigarettes with the brand’s logo facing down. This tactic was employed to ensure that, in the aftermath of battles, the enemy couldn’t determine the troops’ origins by inspecting cigarette butts.

Lucky Strikes, a popular brand among soldiers, became closely associated with this practice. The ritual was adapted by the time of the Vietnam War, reflecting changes in cigarette design. Soldiers began the custom of flipping the first cigarette from the pack upside down and then placing it back, intending to smoke it last.