19 Mind-Blowing Facts You Didn't Know About Monopoly

6. It Was Used To Smuggle Stuff To POWs

Wartime Monopoly
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It's true! In fact, there's a very long and involved history about how Parker Brothers expanded their empire into the UK in the run up to the Second World War, with the franchised company Waddingtons eventually being called upon by the British government in order to help with the war effort.

Specifically, a ultra-secret section of the secret service was in charge of getting tools for break outs to prisoners of war behind enemy lines. One of their bright ideas? Sending cheap Monopoly sets with a map, a compass, and food in concentrated form.

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Tom Baker is the Comics Editor at WhatCulture! He's heard all the Doctor Who jokes, but not many about Randall and Hopkirk. He also blogs at http://communibearsilostate.wordpress.com/