Figure 1.-- Food was by far the most important part of the american relief effort, but not the only item involved. There was also deliveries of medical supplies, clothing, shoes, and blankets. Here French some hopeful boys are lining up to get new American-supplied shoes after the end of the War, a kind of Christmas present. The press caption read, "Looking Forward to New Shoes: These children of Drancy, France, patiently wait as American Red Cross Relief workers prepare to destribute new shoes, which will replace their torn and delapitated ersatz leather shoes they have been wearing. Drancy was chosen for the destribution after the ARC consulted with the Croix Rouge Francaise to determin where 300 pairs of children's shoes wer most urgently needed." The photo was dated December 31, 1945. During the German occupation, huge quantities of food and consumer goods were shipped to the Reich. It became virtually impossible to obtain leather shoes except through the black market. . It was taking time for the battered French economy to recover. Drancy of course was the location of the infamous Vichy concentration camp where French Jews were held for transport to the NAZI death camps

America during World War again acted to feed a starving Europe and provide other relief supplies. The situation was even worse than in World War I. Food shortages in World War I were largely an inadvertant result of the War. This was very different in World War II, both the Germans and Japanese used food as a weapon to murder people in the millions. As a result, vast quantities of food were needed. Tragically it was not possible to get food aid into Axis occupied countries. China was a special problem because the Japanese controlled the ports and sized more and more of the best agricultural land. The American Army unlike the Axis armies brought its food with it. Here Australia was a major exception, primarily to reserve scare shipping to men and military equipment. Axis countries seized food from the countries they occupied, causing serious shortages. American GIs first were deoloyed in Britain where the local children soon recognized them as an exhaustable source of candy and a brand new sensation--bubble gum. As American Armies entered Europe they worked with civilian autoriries in liberated countries to ensure the food supply. And soldiers not uncommonly shared food with civilians. The United States and allied countries formed the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) to provide relief in war-torn countries. This was a U.N. program before the United Nations existed. Most of the food and other aid distributed by UNRRA came from the United States. UNRRA suceeded in distributing some $4.5 billion of food and supplies in Europe, mostly after the War while the Europeans moved to rebuild their shattered economies. Only after the War was the United States able to get food ship,ents to the countries occupied by the Axis countries. Here the occupied countries of Western Europe (France, Belgium, and the Netherlands) had strong agricultural sectors, but aid was needed until the farmers in these countries could get back to full production and the transport system restored. The United States did not just povide food aid to its allies and the people in liberated countries.

Basic Differemce

America during World War again acted to feed a starving Europe and provide other relief supplies. The situation was even worse than in World War I. Food shortages in World War I were largely an inadvertant result of the War. This was very different in World War II, both the Germans and Japanese used food as a weapon to murder people in the millions. The Gemans and Japanese had as a war objective to kill people in the millions through starvation.

Individual Countries

As a result of Axis policies, vast quantities of food were needed to prevent starvation. Tragically it was not possible to get food aid into Axis occupied countries. China was a special problem because the Japanese controlled the ports and sized more and more of the best agricultural land. The American Army unlike the Axis armies brought its food with it. Here Australia was a major exception, primarily to reserve scare shipping to men and military equipment. Axis countries seized food from the countries they occupied, causing serious shortages. American GIs first were deoloyed in Britain where the local children soon recognized them as an exhaustable source of candy and a brand new sensation--bubble gum. As American Armies entered Europe they worked with civilian autoriries in liberated countries to ensure the food supply. And soldiers not uncommonly shared food with civilians. Only after the War was the United States able to get food ship,ents to the countries occupied by the Axis countries. Here the occupied countries of Western Europe (France, Belgium, and the Netherlands) had strong agricultural sectors, but aid was needed until the farmers in these countries could get back to full production and the transport system restored. The United States did not just provide food aid to its allies and the people in liberated countries.

Agencies

Several agencies were involved in American relief efforts. The most imprtant was UNRRA. This was an internatiional organization, but was an international rffort, but as the United Nations did not yet exist was largely an American effort. The American Red Cross also played a role, but was not the major relief organization as it had been in World War I. But it did play a role as did GARIOA. There were also ,amy private borfanizations. CARE was also very important. There were also many private organizations carrying bout drives in America. These operatiions has tonbe coordinated and thefuinds and supplies gatered delivered.

CARE

CARE began with shipments of food to war-torn Europe to prevent starvation and hunger. Seeing the privation througout Europe, 22 American charities (civic, religious, cooperative and labor organizations) founded the Cooperative for American Remittances to Europe -- CARE (1945). They began to deliver millions of CARE packages all over Europe. On May 11, 1946, relief arrived from across the ocean as the cargo ship American Traveler steamed into the harbor of war-torn Le Havre, France. The ship carried a shipment of food—and hope (May 11, 1946). Aboard were 15,000 brown cardboard boxes paid for by the Cooperative for by CARE. The goakl was to bring humanitarian aid to millions starving in post-war Europe. These first 'CARE Packages' contained everything from whole-milk powder and liver loaf to margarine and coffee. The contents of CARE Packages soon expanded to include soap, diapers, school supplies and medicine as well as fabric, thread and needles to allow recipients to make and mend clothes. These small packages with food and other relief supplies helped families survive midst vast food shortages. They had a huge impact on the lives of the recipients. CARE packages even helped people in former enemies, Austria and Germany. And despite the focus on Europe, CARE packages were also delivered to Japan. C

Red Cross

The American Red Cross (ARC) did not play such an imprtant role in assisting refugees abd civilians as it had durung Worlds War I. It was in World War II primarily focused on aiding the troops. This effort was by the time of World War II well estavlished. Mrs. Roosevelt was a representative of the ARC when she visited the troops in the South Pacific (1943). The first war action was an early blood processing program for relief of English war victims (1940). It was called called Plasma for Britain and was overseen by Dr. Charles R. Drew. The Red Cross enrolled more than 104,000 nurses for military service, prepared 27 million packages for American and Allied prisoners of war, and shipped over 300,000 tons of supplies overseas. A new program requested by the military was a mational blood program that collected 13.3 million pints of blood for use by the armed forces. One major difference in World War II was that the totalitarian powers that played such a major role in the War, were not prepared to allow humanitarian efforts to reach millions of people, in some cases people targeted for death. The Red Cross sent millions of packages of food to American POWs held by the Germans and Italians. The Germans behaved correctly in delivering the packages, although not in adequately feeding POWs. There were also shipments to POWs held by the Japanese, but only a few hot through. The Red Cross also began a blood collection service to aid the wounded. They also established clubs like the famous Rainbow Corner to offer entertainment and food to servicemen. Other agencies were created to specifically aid refugees and other civilians, especially (UNRRA). This was vital becuse the German war gaoal was in addition ro murdering Jews was to kill tens of millions of civiians, chiefly by starvation. The ARC did, however, support efforts to aid civilains. This was mostly done indirectly. The ARC supported the International Committe for the Red Cross (ICRC). It was the latrgest single contributor to the ICRC which played a vital role in dealing with Prisoner of War (POW) issues. The ARC also assisted other national chambers. This was somewhat complicated by bthe fact that the Gernan Red Cross was thorougly Nazified. The Germans did allow of the nationla chambers of occupied countries to operate. With meager resourcces they did a great deal of good work. While it was primarily working on the POW problem, it did play a major role in ending the Greek famine. As the War began to go against the Germans, available resources became less and less available. As the liberation of occupied countries began (mostly 1944), supplies from the Allies became available. at first only in the West. After the German surrender, some moistly American supplies began to reach Eastern Europe. This included both countries in Western and Eastern Europe. As the Soviet Union began to establish Communist police states in Eastern Europe, these efforts were discontinued. But they did occur for some time after the War. Austria was a special case because like Germany, it was divided between the Soviets and Western Allies. There was also a dispute over the ICRC and the League of Red Cross Sociries which the Cimmunists favored. The ARC and other natiuonal chapters as well as the ICRC were existing instititions even before the War. As a result there was cooperation with UNRAA. We notuice uniformed ARC staffers at UNRRA Dispalced Persons Camps after the War.

UNRRA

The United States and allied countries formed the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) to provide relief in war-torn countries. This was a U.N. program before the United Nations existed. Most of the food and other aid distributed by UNRRA, however, came from one-country--the United States. UNRRA suceeded in distributing some $4.5 billion of food and supplies in Europe, mostly after the War while the Europeans moved to rebuild their shattered economies.

U.S. Government Aid and Relief in Occupied Areas -- GARIOA (1945-52)

The U.S. Government Aid and Relief in Occupied Areas (GARIOA) was an American program conducted after World War II to provided emergency aid, mostly food, to the occupied AXIS nations of Japan, Germany, and Austria. The aid was primarily designed to prevent starvation in the occupied countries. Italy was also assisted by he United States, but treated more as a NAZI victim than an Axis partner. The program was only launched in 1946 as it required Congressional appropriaions. It soon became obvious after the end of the War that because of the immense damage during the War that Germany, Austria (annexed by Germany), and Japan were going to need massive food assistance if starvation and disease outbreaks were going to be prevented. Existing orograms were primarily ficused on the victims of Axis aggression.

Created: 7:56 AM 7/5/2016
Last updated: 1:51 AM 4/5/2020