The Donut Dollies of WW2

Let’s face it. History would not be complete without a discussion about Doughnuts.
During World War One, the Salvation Army sent approximately 200 women volunteers to France to provide snacks, supplies and morale to those homesick US troops. The “Doughnut Lassies”, as they were called, dodged bombs, gas attacks, and risked their lives to fry up doughnuts for the Doughboys fighting in the trenches.
In World War Two, American Red Cross Donut Dollies landed on the beaches of Normandy in their Clubmobiles to serve up coffee and doughnuts to our GIs. While doughnuts and coffee may seem to be a small act, it made a huge impact upon those young soldiers fighting on the Front Line.
01:10 Inventor of the Donut Hole
01:48 World War One Doughnut Lassies
04:27 The Donut Craze!
05:44 "It Happened One Night" donut dunking clip
06:05 National Donut Day
06:41 World War Two Donut Dollies
09:29 Military Donut Legacy
Thanks to Military Historian Bill Speer for script and video reviews.
#DoughtnutLassies #DonutDollies #salvationarmy

[@davidnguyen6236]

Thank you so much for the interesting donut history . I forwarded this video to our grandchildren . Much appreciation to all dedicated donut lassies and donut dollies 💐💕💐💕💐

[@MarkingHistoryChannel]

By the way, I use the term "Doughnut" at the beginning of this video. After 1920, I use the term "Donut" because, according to legend, Donut Machine inventor Adolph Levitt shortened the term when advertizing his donuts.

[@jaredevildog6343]

Very interesting video. Alot of people don't realize that a little goes a long way for those of us in combat.

[@MarkingHistoryChannel]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@sonjakrohn4303]

Another fascinating history lesson, Bruce!

[@MarkingHistoryChannel]

Thanks Sonja. Hope all is well with you.

[@noahcount7132]

Without exception, every WWII vet with whom I had a conversation in which donuts were mentioned, praised the Salvation Army for their free donuts and coffee, and derided the Red Cross for charging servicemen for their donuts and coffee.

[@patrickfreeman8257]

I wonder how many "Doughnut Dollies" received marriage proposals while on duty

[@williamharvey8895]

Wondering if that's how they got the name Doughboy.

[@MarkingHistoryChannel]

According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the term was first used during the American Civil War when it was applied to the brass buttons on uniforms and thence to infantrymen. At a period not exactly ascertained, the word was said to have been derived from the doughlike appearance of a uniform soiled by moistened pipe clay.

[@gwae48]

Wasn't the hole for carrying them on a stick ???? 🙄🤔

[@10mmfan]

When women were women and men were men.

[@jaredevildog6343]

Yep. Now it's all over the place. The alphabet people fu@ked it all up.

[@MetalsirenIXI]

When being racist was in style

[@LegateMalpais]

I can picture it now: a teenager working in a Siberian evacuated yet-roofless factory doing 16 hour no days off shifts making mortar shells, a sailor serving on the semi-sunk Marat fending off assaults from the air and making sure the main guns still fire while living on a 1500 kcal blockade diet, and a civilian woman turned partisan in Belarussian swamps laying mines knowing full well if caught she'd face some Sonderkommando "special treatment" liker her entire family that got wiped out... all meet up and learn that at least the US servicemen got doughnuts to lighten their very difficult days at various global theatres of operation where they went only IF the enemy was vastly inferior, they look at them and say "Well, glad they got doughnuts, can't imagine how hard it was for them otherwise".