Did you know of a special connection that Calcutta shared with American soldiers? Close to 150,000 American GIs were sent across to India during the Second World War to fight the Axis powers. Calcutta emerged as perhaps most vulnerable to Japanese troops after they took over Singapore in February 1942. American soldiers arrived in the city at a time when apart from the war, a devastating famine was causing havoc. While the initial impression was one of shock, in the subsequent five years they spent in Calcutta, they formed some interesting friendships and made popular their food, music, cinema and a lot more.
From the Research Unit of the Indian Express: https://indianexpress.com/article/research/coca-cola-canned-food-and-jazz-nights-what-american-gis-brought-to-the-streets-of-calcutta-during-wwii-7397632/ Roland. Toronto.
