Pea Soup

freedom from the hated wars, and freedom for workers. As we know, what actually followed was a harsh crackdown on many freedoms, including free speech. The censorship became a central tenant of the Bolshevik government, cracking down on criticism of Stalin the U S s R. The government claimed that censorship was devoted to protecting workers interests. Really, it was focused on eliminating Stalin's political opponents and keeping the regime in power by any means necessary. Books and novels, even

those by Russian authors, were heavily censored. Certain music was anathema, and modern art was considered an attack on the Soviet people's sensibilities. The States was very focused on ensuring that they had absolute control over every aspect of life, both public and private. During the Cold War, there was a battle of propagandists happening behind the scenes. Both countries were trying to influence the culture and beliefs of the other

citizens to weaken their resolve. The USSR seemed to despise Western media, considering it a scourge on good Soviet beliefs and sensibilities, but the Kremlin likely realized early on that they weren't going to be able to keep all Western media and products out forever. Although they had a pretty good crack at it, something has managed to slip through and even became quite popular. Despite the Iron Curtain and the emphasis on only purchasing Soviet made products, plenty of

Western businesses managed to strike trade deals. Admittedly, these opportunities were slim and mostly revolved around swapping products for Russian gas and oil. The Soviet government recognized that by allowing small amounts of these products in they could largely control

their countries exposure to the decadent West. Soviet officials made short trips to Western countries and allowed small delegations in to both investigate what was going on in the rest of the world, and show off the best the Soviets had to offer. In nineteen fifty nine, there was an American National Exhibits in Moscow. Then Vice President Richard Nixon attended the exhibits, which was meant to be part of a series of cultural exchanges happening in both countries. There

was a corresponding Soviet exhibits in New York City. Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev toward the display with Nixon, but tempers flared as the two men baited each other over the captive Nation's resolution that had been passed by Congress a few days before. Khruschev saw this as a direct attack on Soviet policies of expansion, and to make a long story short, the two men fought in the middle of

a model US kitchen. Raised voices and wagging fingers caught the attention of the press, and the two men forced themselves to calm down before outright threats were made. One of the other attendees, Donald Kendall, was the head of Pepsi's international division. He stepped in when the argument cooled off and offered everyone a glass of Pepsi to help them calm down and remind them about the point of

the exhibition. It was a good press moment for both men to be photographed having a soda together, but it was an even greater moment for pepsi. Kendall wasn't even supposed to be at the exhibition. He had taken a risk convincing other Pepsi executives that they needed to showcase their product to the Soviets, and now his gambits had paid off, and the leader of the Soviet Union himself was drinking, even enjoying a pepsi. In fact, he was enjoy it so much he wanted to import it and

sell it to Soviet citizens. This could have been a huge new market for pepsi, but there were a few hurdles to overcome. First, the ruble Soviet currency had no value outside the U s SR, so they had to fall back on the barter system to get what they wanted. Pepsi and the USSR worked out a deal, though for every bottle of pepsi they would trade an equal amount of Stolechnaya vodka that could be sold in the United States. In nineteen seventy two, Pepsi officially flooded the Soviet market,

and they loved it. However, their cozy little deal was interrupted in the nineteen eighties by the Soviet Afghan War. Americans boycotted the few Soviet products on the markets, which meant that Pepsi was unable to sell their vodka. They had too much vodka and not enough cash, so the Soviets had to send something new to secure their beloved beverage. This led to one of the most bizarre trades I

have ever read about. In exchange for the soda, the USSR traded Pepsi seventeen marines, a frigate, a cruiser, and a destroyer in nine This led to Pepsi owning the sixth largest naval fleet in the world, although just for a little while. In reality, these weapons of war were obsolete and barely usable, and although it might seem silly to us, it wasn't a stupid deal for either party.

The Navy didn't even go directly to Pepsi. Instead, it was sent to a Norwegian firm, where the vessels were scrapped. The deal between Pepsi and the Soviets crumbled not long after this trade, when the Soviet Union itself came crashing down.

But what a bizarre twist of fate that a Western soda was able to sweet talk some heavy weaponry out of the USSR just think for a little while in their quest for domination in the international coal a wars pepsi literally could have blown coke out of the water. Waking up to a gray day isn't exactly abnormal in London, where cloudy days are the majority. The city rests on a large river valley, which means that air often becomes trapped and can't circulate, which helps push weather like fog

or rain out more quickly. London fog has been called everything from romantic too mysterious. One thing we know is that it seems to be nearly constant. That's why it was probably no surprise when in December of nineteen fifty two they woke up to what looked to be a typically dreary day. Maybe the fog looked a bit denser

than usual, but it would blow over eventually, right. Well, The funny thing happened the night before a thirty mile wide cold air mass rolled into the area and covered the city, sitting so heavily on top of the valley that none of the air below could escape or even circulate. Most of the world still heated their homes, businesses, and factories with coal, so when the Cold Front swept in in late November, people simply tossed more coal on the

fire and just kept going. Britain was still trying to claw its way out of World War two austerity and jump start their economy, so factories were working full tilt, which meant that they were pumping out plenty of smoke. Fires were stoked, wool jumpers were layered, and the heavy fog was no match for the determined. They had had these kind of days before, and there was actually a name for them, peace supers, as the fog is as thick as peace soup. Except the fog wouldn't lift as

the day went on. It only became heavier and darker, and streets became less and less visible, which would have been spooky and mysterious if it hadn't also been deadly. The street lights could barely cast enough light for pedestrians to see, let alone be seen, and automobile headlamps didn't illuminate other people or vehicles until it was too late. And then somehow things got worse as the fog took on a yellowish brown tint and began to wreek of

rotten eggs. London was trapped in a sea of coal, smoke, soot, and noxious gases that could and would cause serious damage. December five, nine fifty two was Day one of the Great Smog, and everyone was sure that it would dissipate. Yes, the air stink, but surely a great catastrophe could be avoided. I mean, they survived the blitz and still went to work the next day. No one was going to let a little fog keep them down right, but they had

no idea. In central London, visibility got so bad that you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. People abandoned their cars in the middle of the road when it got too murky to see. Some of the smogs solidified into a black, oozy substance like tar, something that crawled out of the black lagoon. During each day of the Great Smog, one thousand tons of particulate matter, two thousand tons of carbon dioxide, eight hundred tons of

sulfuric acid and more were released into the air. People choked and wheezed along the sidewalks, covering their faces with scarves or handkerchiefs or cloth masks. They tried to get help. People tumbled into hospitals, their faces smeared with grits and grime, looking like they just climbed out of a coal mine. Nearly all public transit was shut down, as were ambulances. Flights and trains were canceled, and boats, London's primary source

of importation, came to a standstill. Children were even kept home from school for fear of being lost out in the fog. Sporting events were canceled and businesses and theaters shut down. Crime spiked as some took advantage of the desperate situation to steal from shops, homes, and people on the streets who could barely see, let alone breathe. The Great Smog lasted for five days, five days of chaos, desperation,

and not enough air to breathe, before it finally blessedly lifted. Doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers, former servicemen, really anyone who could banded together as best they could to pull the city through the disaster with limited supplies or help from the government, And as you might imagine, plenty of folks were vulnerable to the Terrible smog and the pandemonia that resulted. The elderly, little kids, smokers, and folks with respiratory problems were badly

affected by the fog. People may have been ready and willing to brush it off as a freak event, but when the undertakers ran out of coffins and there wasn't a single funeral wreath to be found in London for love or money, the true impact became clear. At the time, experts estimate about four thousand people died due to the Great Smog, But like COVID nineteen and other respiratory pollutants, things like this have a way of lingering and having

effects on the human body for decades to come. Today, the death toll is estimated to be between eight thousand and twelve thousand people. The government was slow to act and slower to send resources and aid to swamp hospitals and care stations. However, there's no great loss without some

small gain. The resulting investigation into the causes of the fog and the government's actions led Britain to pass the Clean Air Act of nineteen fifty six, which worked to reduce smoke pollution, a solution that took a once suffering city and breathed new life into it. I hope you've enjoyed today's guided tour of the Cabinet of Curiosities. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, or learn more about the

show by visiting Curiosities podcast dot com. The show was created by me Aaron Manky in partnership with how Stuff Works. I make another award winning show called Lore, which is a podcast, book series, and television show, and you can learn all about it over at the World of Lore dot com. And until next time, stay curious.