A famous soda company by the name of Pepsi had the world’s 6th largest navy in the world. How did this come to be? During the Cold War, Vice-President Nixon and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev were attending the American National Exhibition in Moscow´s Sokolniki Park. While also on the exhibition, was Head of Pepsi International Donald Kendall. Kendall decided to break the ice with two cups of their namesake soda. When Khrushchev took a drink, he was immediately sold on the product and a deal was made. However, soviet currency was useless outside of the state, so the only thing they had to offer was vodka. For a decade this deal stood without deterrence.

In 1980 when the soviets invaded Afghanistan, the American people started boy-cotting soviet made products including the vodka for the Pepsi trade deal. Pepsi soon saw the trade as worthless and halted any further exports of Pepsi to the soviets. After the announcement the soviets tried to find another way to trade for the product, it wasn’t until 1989 when they found a suitable deal. The trade was the Soviets offered the company a veritable navy, Pepsi agreed to the deal.

 The company obtained 1 Cruiser, 1 Destroyer, 1 Frigate, and 17 Submarines accompanied with a handful of tankers; which at the time made the Pepsi company the 6th largest navy in the world.