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Hall 08

Hemp at War

Hemp for Victory

Workers harvesting hemp
Military hemp uniform

In times of war, hemp became a strategic resource. During the Second World War, the United States government actively encouraged farmers to grow hemp through a campaign famously known as "Hemp for Victory." The fibre was needed for ropes, parachute webbing, uniforms and countless other military supplies when other sources were cut off.

This chapter reveals how vital the plant remained even in the modern industrial age. When nations faced their greatest challenges, they turned once again to hemp — a crop that had served humanity for thousands of years. This hall remembers the role hemp played in some of history's most difficult moments.

Hemp at war exhibit
Interactive Exhibit Wartime materiel →
AIRBORNE EQUIPMENT

Parachute webbing

Sturdy hemp webbing reinforced parachute harnesses, holding firm under the sudden strain of a canopy opening at altitude.

Wartime hemp fields panorama
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