Figure 1.--The British War Relief Society (BWRS) was an American-based humanitarian effort which provided an umbrella organisation for groups attempting to provide non-military aid to the British people. The BWRS became the administrative hub and central receiving depot for items donated by the various charities attempting to aid Britain. The donationjs were then parceled to the affiliate organizations in America and Britain. The BWRS raised donations in its own name ratgher than affiliated groups.

Isolationist sentiment was pronounced in America and American attitudes changed only glacially even after the NAZIs pursued their conquests of one European country after another. Isolationism did not disappear as a powerful force until Pearl Harbor. Even so attitides did begin to chsmge especially sfter the fall of France and the beginning of the NAZI Blitz on Britain. There was tremendous sympathy for Britain as the Germans pounded London and other British cities. This was vividly depicted in Edward R. Murrow's CBS broadcasts during the Blitz and weekly newsreel footage as well as captured by photojournalists in Life and other magazines and newspapers. Even among Americans who wanted no part in the War, there was a growing desire to aid Britain. A variety of organizations campaigned for donations to assist vthe vicims of the European War. After the fall of France and the beginning of the Blitz, the focus of the effort shifted to Britain, but Britain was never the exclusive country for which the aid was collected. Americans opened their homes, hearts and purses to first the refugees and then the British. A factor here was the inability to reach NAZI occupied countries like Poland. This expressed itself in a number of private initiatives to aid the British people. American families took in English children evacuated from London and other cities. Some of the groups formed included the American Committee for Air Raid Relief, American Ambulance in Great Britain, American Hospital in Britain, British American Ambulance Corps, the British Hospital Association, Bundles for Britain, St. Dunstan's Hospital for the War-Blinded, as well as other British based charities. many Charities based in Britain. An umbrella organization was created to assist in this effort-- the British War Relief Society (BWRS). The BWRS was an administrative office, which provided a national outreach that was beyond the capability of the many small groups attempting to provide aid. One impoertant effort that remained outside the BWRS was Bundles for Britain. The goal was to collect and ship non-milutary aid to the British people affected by the War. The Isolationists countetred with counter advertising--Bundles from Britain showing rows of flag drapped caskets. More importantly it provided a firm abd growing foundation for President Roosevelt's expanding efforts to support Britain. These private efforts began while America was neutral, but continued after Amnerica entered the War.

English Evacuees

At the beginning of the War America was neutral. Most Americans wanted no part of the War, but from the beginning there was enorous sympathy for Britain. America was a large country which easily absorb the evacuees ahd like Canada was relatively close to Britain. The fall of France brought the issue to a head and British officials began planning for a lasrge-scale evsacuation of British children. America had, however, strict immigration laws. This presented a serious obstacle to accepting any significant number of British refugees. The evacuations to America were a private undertaking and not a Goverment evacuation. For the evsacuations to take place, however, the organizers needed to obtain American visas for the children as well to find families in America willing to care for the evacuee children.

British War Relief Society

The British War Relief Society (BWRS) was an American-based humanitarian effort which provided an umbrella organisation for groups attempting to provide non-military aid to the British people. The BWRS became the administrative hub and central receiving depot for items donated by the various charities attempting to aid Britain. The donationjs were then parceled to the affiliate organizations in America and Britain. The BWRS raised donations in its own name ratgher than affiliated groups. The desire to aid the British people expressed itself in a number of private initiatives to aid the British people. American families took in English children evacuated from London and other cities. Some of the groups formed included the American Committee for Air Raid Relief, American Ambulance in Great Britain, American Hospital in Britain, British American Ambulance Corps, the British Hospital Association, Bundles for Britain, St. Dunstan's Hospital for the War-Blinded, as well as other British based charities. many Charities based in Britain. An umbrella organization was created to assist in this effort-- the British War Relief Society (BWRS). The BWRS was an administrative office, which provided a national outreach that was beyond the capability of the many small groups attempting to provide aid. The material collected included clothing, blankets, food, medical supplies, and other needed items.

Bundles for Britain

One of the most important private effiorts to aid Britain was Bundles for Britain. Mrs. Walls Latham was a New York Society matron. She began on a very small scale. She got a few friends together to knit garments for British sailors operating in the North Sea. Mrs. Winston Churchill had asked British women to knit items. (At the on set of the War, her husband had been appointed First Lord of the Admiralty.) Mrs. Latham decided to pitch in on this side of the Atlantic (December 1939). Her knitting circle proved so sucessful was such a success, Mrs. Latham decided to expand her effort. She formally founded Bundles for Britain (January 1940). The goal was to collect and ship non-milutary aid to the British people affected by the War. The effort was begun before the fall of France and the beginning of the Blitz, but the need became even more obvious once the Luftwaffe launched the Blitz. The bundles included medicine, clothiong, and blankets. A magazine article described the effort, Mrs. Latham 'got a license from the State Department, wheedled an empty store rent-free from a Park Avenue landlord, [and] persuaded Mrs. Winston Churchill to become a sponsor." [Look, December 1940.] The effort provided an opportunity for anyone to participate at any level. People could donate monet or their time. The effiort focused on collected supplies, including serviceable used clothing more than collecting money, although money was needed to buy meduecine. A sewing room was set up in Middletown, New York to do operations like converting a worn old blanket into small baby blankets. The collections were coordinated through schools, churches and other organizations. Monetary donations ranged from nine pennies sent by a share croper. Two sisters sent along the $1.15 they raised at their Kool Aid stand. Movie stars like Charles Boyer and Ronald Coleman hosted a radio effort thst brought in $30,000 for medicine and medical supplies. The Isolationists countetred with counter advertising--Bundles FROM Britain showing rows of flag drapped caskets. The complete caption was, 'Will one of the Bundles FROM Britain be your son? The flyer we note was placed by the Crusading Mothers of Pennsylvania, President Mrs. Catgherine Brown. The flyer we see also called for the impeachment of President Roosevelt.

American Committee for Defense of British Homes

The American Committee for Defense of British Homes was a small effort organized by C. Suydam Cutting. . The goal was to send a gun to a British home. A poster read, "Brotish civilians faced with the threat of invasion desperately need arms for the defense of their homes. The American Committee for Defense of British Homes has organized to collect gifts of pistols, rifles, revolvers, shotguns, and binoculars from American civilians who wish to answer the call and aid in the defense of British homes. These arms are being shipped, with the cionsent of the British Gobernmrnt, to Cib\vilian Committee for the Defense pf Homes, Birmingham England.." The effort was rather naive, but showed the increasing level of suuport being shown by Americans.

Sources

Look (December 1940).

Created: 5:25 AM 5/10/2011
Last updated: 5:25 AM 5/10/2011