Figure 1.--Foster Parents Plan for War Children during World War II in Britain helping displaced children from all over Europe. Efforts were limited durung the war because NAZI Germany occupied much of the continent. After the war, the organizatiom extended aid to children in Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, and briefly because of Communist seizure of power in China, Czechoslovakia, and Poland. Here some 350 British children arrived in New York City (July 8, 1940). We are not sure if these are British children are refugee children in Briain. Aboard the British liner 'Samaria'. They were the first large contingent of English children sent because of the fear of an eminent German invasion. Several groups of British children were sent by different groups and arrived through Canada.

The U.S. Government played a much greater role in both overseeing private charitable relief effort and in conducting its own relief and rehabilitation efforts. The Governmenbt to a far greater extent than in World War I asserted control over the many voluntary agencies that attempted to assist the victims of World War I beginning with Belgian Relief--(Commission for Relief in Belgium--CRB). And with World War II it was not an entirely novel effort as it was in Witld War I and there were individuls and groups with valuable experience. A major difference between World war and World war II was the Neutrality Laws which required detailed information from organizations conducting activities with countiries at war. Charitable groups involved in overseas activities, including relief efforts had to obtain a license from the State Department. State flatly refused to permit relief programs for refugees in Axis-occupied countries, although there seems to have been some exceptions. The fear was, and it was not unfounded, that Axis officials would divert the food and other supplies. These restrictions continued after the United States entered the war (December 1941). Former-president Herbert Hoover continued to be involved in relief efforts. He organized the Committee on Food for the Small Democracies to deliver relief aid similar to the World War I CRB. President Roosevelt adamently refused, however, to permit relief aid to reach German-occupied countries believing this would assist the German war economy. The Government role was also different in World War II. The primary relief organization was not the American Red Cross as it was in World War I, but an entirely new orgization created to be administerd by the planned United Nations--the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA). UNRAA was theoretically an international relief agency, but in World War II before the United Nations was actually founded, largely dominated and funded by the United States. The U.S. Government supportd other efforts, but UNRRA was the primary Government effort.

Private Efforts

The U.S. Governmenbt to a far greater extent than in World War I asserted control over the many voluntary agencies that attempted to assist the vistims of World War I beginning with Belgian Relief--(Commission for Relief in Belgium--CRB). And with World War II it was not an entirely novel effort as it was in Witld War I and there were individuls and groups with valuable experience. A major difference between World War I and World War II was the Neutrality Laws which required detailed information from organizations conducting activities with countiries at war. Charitable groups involved in overseas activities, including relief efforts had to obtain a license from the State Department. State flatly refused to permit relief programs for refugees in Axis-occupied countries, although there seems to have been some exceptions. The fear was, and it was not unfounded, that Axis officials would divert the food and other supplies. These restrictions continued after the United States entered the War (December 1941). Former-president Herbert Hoover continued to be involved in relief efforts. He organized the Committee on Food for the Small Democracies to deliver relief aid similar to the World War I CRB. President Roosevelt adamently refused, however, to permit relief aid to reach German-occupied countries believing this would assist the German war economy.

Government scrutiny

The U.S. Governmenbt to a far greater extent than in World War I asserted control over the many voluntary agencies that attempted to assist the victims of World War I beginning with Belgian Relief--(Commission for Relief in Belgium--CRB). The Givernment role in World war I was primarily coordination. In World war II there was far greater scrutiny od private groups. And with World War II it was not an entirely novel effort as it was in World War I and there were individuls and groups with valuable experience. A major difference between World War I and World War II was the Neutrality Laws which required detailed information from organizations conducting activities with countiries at war. Charitable groups involved in overseas activities, including relief efforts had to obtain a license from the State Department. State flatly refused to permit relief programs for refugees in Axis-occupied countries, although there seems to have been some exceptions. The fear was, and it was not unfounded, that Axis officials would divert the food and other supplies. These restrictions continued after the United States entered the War (December 1941). Former-president Herbert Hoover continued to be involved in relief efforts. He organized the Committee on Food for the Small Democracies to deliver relief aid similar to the World War I CRB. President Roosevelt adamently refused, however, to permit relief aid to reach German-occupied countries believing this would assist the German war economy.

Government concerns

The U.S. Government had several concerns about the private groups that organozed to assist the victims of world war II aggressor nations. There were some frivolous and unscrupulous fund-raising effirts. And some groups had very high overhead, meaning that people were using the fund raising to enrich themselves. The primary objective of the State Department was to make sure that the charitable efforts werec in accordance with U,S. Government policy goals. The Government, primarily through the State Department, attempted to promote efficency among the relief groups and to avoid duplication of efforts with the American Red Cross (ARC) which also played an important role in World war II relief efforts and was the Government's preferred relief organization.

Committee on War Relief Agencie/Rlief Control Board

President Roosevelt by executiveorder created the Committee on War Relief Agencies (COWRA). The Presient named Joseph E. Davies to head the COWRA (Spring 1941). The Committe was later renamed the Relief Control Board (RCB). A huge number of groups organized to provide rlief aid. The count of licensed grouos was about about 300 (1941). COWRA/RCB as part of a consolidation effort helped reduce the number to 67 by the end of the war. CORA/RCB organized the agencies into country groups. This reflected the large number of groups organized by ethnic groups and churches/synagogues with ethnic-based congregations. It also reflected logistics and each country had shipping requiremrnts based on geography. After the war the RCB was remamed the Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid (ACOVFA) with a somewhat dfferent mission. And they worked with charitable groups that no longer required Government licensing. The ACOVFA did, however, determine which private groups received government fundings. The Council of Voluntary Agencies worked with the RCB during the War. The various private groups had fund raising campaigns to obtain funds dinted by the public, but they also suceeded in obtaining Government funds. One study reports that the Givernment contributed substantialnfunding to these private groups during 1939-54): Soviet Union ($54 million), Britain ($38 million), Palistine ($36 million), China ($35 million), and Greece ($30 million).

Organizations

The Allies, meaning primarily the United States, began organizing relief programs for the refugees created by the Axis aggressions even before entering the War. The United States had played a substntial role in World War I relief, saving million of lives. The same was the case during World War II. Several hundred private American groups were involved in relief efforts during World War II. The most important continued to be the American Red Cross (ARC). The ARC played a different role than it did in World war I. It was less involved in civilian refugee relief. Much of the civilan role it had played in World War I was taken over by UNRRA. This ws in part because the humanitarian crisis in Europe was far beyond the capabilities of any private organization. The ARC was involved in civilian relief, but focused more narrowly on aiding American troops and POWs. The ARC made a much sharper distinction between civilian war relief and services for the American military. The ARC provided supervisory and coordinating functions for civilian relief, but generally, with a few exceotion did not send personnel to direct civilian war relief This task was mostly taken over by Government agencies. The initial efforts of private groups were to get people out of NAZI-ocontrooled Europe. Two early American efforts were the Emergency Rescue Committee and the U.S. Committee for the Care of European Children. Only as the Allies began to achieve battlefield victories was it possible to help really large numbers of people by getting food and other relief supplies to them. and the need was sonimmense tht it was beyound tgec scope of private chariltble groups. So Governent agencies took iver much if the effort. The United Nations Relief abd Rhabilitation Agency was the primary organization.

Government Efforts

The Government role was also different in World War II. The primary civilian relief organization was not the American Red Cross as it was in World War I, but an entirely new orgization created to be administerd by the planned United Nations--the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA). UNRAA was theoretically an international relief agency, but in World War II before the United Nations was actually founded, largely dominated and funded by the United States. As Europe was devestated by the War and occupied by either the Soviet Union or NAZI Germany, the United States was one of the few countries capable of providing substantial relief efforts. The U.S. Government supported other efforts, but UNRRA was the primary Government effort. Other Government agencies involved in relief fforts included the military (mostly the army) through civil affairs efforts, the Office of Foreign Relief and Rehabilitation (OFRR), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA). Once involved in the War, President Roosevelt began using the term United Nations. It was esentially the creation of Woodrow Wilson's League of Nations. Roosevelt had been a strong supporter of Wilson and the League. The League was so controversial and Roosevelt had such a know down drag out fight with the isolationists who hated the League that he came up with a new name and prepared for the creation of an actual organiation that would replace the League. The primary United Nations orgaization to assist refugees was the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA). This agency was created before the United Nations itself. During and in the immediate post-War period, it was largely financed and supported by the United States. Food was a priority. The Axis as a matter of policy sought to deny food to trgeted populations. The Allies as a result attempte to supply desperate refuges with food. Here UNRRA played a major role. Several million people as a result of UNRRA were saved.

Sources

Created: 5:39 AM 11/2/2015
Last updated: 11:20 AM 12/28/2015