Editing Cocacolonization (section)

== History ==
The concept of Cocacolonization began at the beginning of World War II.<ref name=":0" /> Over time, some countries resisted the American soft drink while others openly accepted it. To all, it represented America and its culture and at a majority of major historical events during the 20th century, Coke was in attendance.<ref name=":2" />

=== World War II ===
When war broke out and American troops were sent overseas, the Coca-Cola company vowed that any American in uniform should be able to get a Coke for five cents wherever they were.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Coke and the U.S. troops|url = http://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/2008/11/coke-and-the-us/|website = The Coca-Cola Company|access-date = 2015-12-09|archive-date = 2018-03-31|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180331060717/http://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/2008/11/coke-and-the-us|url-status = dead}}</ref> As a result, the company built bottling stations in the [[Pacific War|Pacific]] and on the [[Western Front (World War II)|Western front]].
[[File:Vintage Coca-Cola Vending Machines 2.jpg|thumb|Vintage Coca-Cola vending machines from World War II. They resemble the machines spread out throughout the Pacific front.]]
[[Nazis]] recognized Coke to be a "Jewish-American" drink. In response, the regime only allowed Coke in the country if it displayed a [[swastika]] on the bottle, which it did.<ref name=":0" /> In the [[Soviet Union]], war hero Marshal [[Georgy Zhukov|Georgi Zhukov]] loved the drink, but Soviet leader [[Joseph Stalin]] viewed it as a symbol of [[American imperialism]] and forbade its consumption. As a solution, Coca-Cola developed [[White Coke|a clear version of the drink]] bottled with a white cap and red star as a disguise to allow Zhukov to consume Cola without suspicion.<ref name=":0" />

On the Pacific front of the war, Coke had a tough time reaching the troops. To address the issue, the company created portable soda fountains that were distributed throughout the islands on the [[Pacific Ocean]].<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|title = On the Front Lines with Coca Cola Pt II|url = http://envisioningtheamericandream.com/2013/05/30/on-the-front-lines-with-coca-cola-pt-ii/|website = Envisioning The American Dream|access-date = 2015-12-09|date = 2013-05-30}}</ref> Asian countries experienced Coca-Cola. According to the company, the drink spread throughout the islands because, "Coke symbolized the American way of life."<ref name=":4" />

Throughout the war, Coke dispersed ads for their soda all over the world. The majority of the ads displayed an American soldier drinking a soda with the natives of that country.<ref name=":4" /> If the ad was in a country outside of the United States, it was written in the native language of that country. Popular ads had positive images of Americans with Coke in [[New Zealand]], Russia, the [[Philippines]], [[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]], [[Italy]], [[England]], and in [[Poland]].<ref name=":4" /> According to Coca-Cola, "From the jungles of the Admiral Islands to the officer clubs in the [[Italian Riviera|Riviera]]," Coke and America was there.<ref name=":4" />

=== Late 1940s and the Cold War ===
The end of World War II marked up by widespread cocacolonization of Europe and [[Asia]]. In 1947, Coca-Cola bottling operations began in the [[Netherlands]], [[Belgium]], and [[Luxembourg]]; then [[Switzerland]], Italy, and France by 1949.<ref name=":2" /> Author Mark Gordon said, "American ideals were now being pushed on Europeans every time they sipped a bottle of Coke."<ref name=":2" /> By the early 1950s, there were 63 bottling plants expanding across three continents including the countries of: [[Egypt]], [[Iceland]], [[Iran]], [[West Africa]], and [[New Guinea]].<ref name=":4" /> Many US companies benefitted from expansion into Europe, including Coca-Cola. Through these foreign endeavours, the US was able to informally create a business and corporate empire via the expansion of several US companies.<ref>Wagnleitner, R. (2000). ''Coca-colonization and the Cold War: the cultural mission of the United States in Austria after the Second World War''. Univ of North Carolina Press.</ref>
[[File:Coca-Cola does Chinese New Year.jpg|thumb|The Coca-Cola store in China helping to celebrate the New Year]]
By the time of the Cold War, Coke met resistance in some countries. Italians kept from indulging in the soda.<ref name=":2" /> [[Austrians]] recognized the expansion of the company as an attempt to spread American culture and ideals overseas.<ref name=":1" /> In France, French communists spread awareness about Coca-Cola. They coined the term cocacolonization because they saw the spread of Coke in their country as an attempt to make it an American colony.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://uramericansinparis.wordpress.com/2010/12/09/coca-colonisation-anti-american-sentiment-in-france/|title=Coca-Colonisation: Anti-American Sentiment in France|last=Long|first=Brennan|website=Americans in Paris, Fall 2010|access-date=2015-12-09|date=2010-12-09}}</ref> When the company attempted to open a bottling plant in the country, French Communists threatened to barricade [[Paris]] to keep Coke out.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|title = Coca Cola in Paris: A Changing France|url = https://uramericansinparis.wordpress.com/2010/12/16/coca-cola-in-france/|website = Americans in Paris, Fall 2010|access-date = 2015-12-09|date = 2010-12-16}}</ref> To the French, the company represented [[Capitalism|capitalist]] America.<ref name=":5" />

At the fall of the [[Berlin Wall]], the end of Communism in Germany in November 1989, Coca-Cola handed out sodas.<ref name=":0" />