Figure 1.--This is a French World War I poster publicizing the work of Secours de Guerre (War Relief) founded August 10, 1914, days after the Germans launched Workd war I by invading neutral Belgium, an invasion aimed at invading France abd defeating the the French Army. We see a Gendarme assisting refugees with the Ancien Seminaire St Sulpice in the background. We also see British, French, asnd French colonial solduiers. We are not sure what is represented by the red uniform. The poster is dated 1916 before America entered the War.

This is a French World War I poster publicizing the work of Secours de Guerre (War Relief or Assistance) founded August 10, 1914, days after the Germans launched Workd war I by invading neutral Belgium, an invasion aimed at invading France abd defeating the the French Army. We see a Gendarme assisting refugees with the Ancien Seminaire St Sulpice in the background. We also see British, French, asnd French colonial soldiers. We are not sure what is represented by the red uniform. The poster is dated 1916. If you look closely, the flags over the entrance to St. Suplice in the background were French and Belgian. Belgian refugeees pored into France, esoecially at the beginning of the war. The poster suggests that the French War Relief asgency was located at the St. Suplice Seminary. We were suoprised, however, the find virtually nothing about this agency. Given that there were some 2 million refugees in France, you would have thought that this would have been a huge agency and there would have been extensive documentation available about its activities on the internet. I have, hiowever, been able gto find next to niothing--only this poster, There is infirmation on the various homes (colonjias) and facilities opened up for the refugees, especially the children. But next to niothing about a Secours de Guerre agency directing all of this. France had substantuial industry, but largely self-suffucent in food becsuse of uits rich agricultural sector. The 2 million rfugees, hiwever, strained French food production. This problem was solved by American entry into the War (1917). America set out to feed war-torn Europe, including France. The homes and other facilities for the refugees established for refugees had access to American food relief. The relief aid was delivered by the American Red Cross.

Created: 11:48 PM 11/10/2022
Last updated: 11:48 PM 11/10/2022