‘An indispensable luxury’: British American Tobacco in the occupation of Germany, 1945–1948
利用新档案资料，揭示英美烟草公司如何在1945-1948年德国被占领期间，通过游说英美占领当局克服政治和社会障碍，成为西德领先的非德国烟草企业，为其后续扩张奠定基础。
World War II devastated the international markets for British American Tobacco (BAT). This article uses new archival documents to show how BAT successfully navigated political and social obstacles in military-occupied Germany (1945–1948) to become the leading non-German tobacco concern in West Germany. It reveals BAT’s lobbying strategy used a ‘revolving door’ with the British and American occupation administrations and a targeted message that aligned with changing military priorities. This coordinated approach allowed BAT to overcome military resistance to big business, oppose high tobacco taxes, and push for greater foreign tobacco imports. It ultimately helped the company lay foundations for expansion.