Honestly, food is the logical choice between the two. The human body absolutely needs FOOD and WATER to complete its bodily functions. Never once has a study confirmed, coffee to be some sort of miracle beverage as some of those soldiers might classify it as. Sure everyone enjoys their little fraps, lattes, and so forth but these drinks are to be consumed for mere pleasure. I admit coffee in todays society may have its beneficial effects in terms of weight loss and prevention in diabetes, but the risk factors greatly exceeds its benefits. Studies have proven that with drinking copious amounts of coffee comes an increase in stress, anxiety, hunger, high cholesterol and the list goes on. For the soldiers of that time, they knew nothing about the actual negative effects coffee has on their body…but then again if you are being shot at on a daily basis who could blame them. If they did however, I believe that their good judgment would take over and pull back on the cups of joe. After all, no general wants hungry and overly-anxious soldiers with guns. The spike in alertness pleased them very much and in some sense raised their spirits. In my opinion, the “coffee craze” of that time period, was more mind over matter. In depressing times we all need something to keep us pushing through and in this case it just so happens that coffee is that “pushing factor”.