GEORGE GERSHON KORSON - AT HIS SIDE : the story of the american red cross overseas in world war ii;the story of the american red cross overseas in world war ii.

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Barajima Books 2020, all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means, electrical, mechanical or otherwise without the written permission of the copyright holder.

Publishers Note

Although in most cases we have retained the Authors original spelling and grammar to authentically reproduce the work of the Author and the original intent of such material, some additional notes and clarifications have been added for the modern readers benefit.

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AT HIS SIDE

The Story of The American Red Cross Overseas in World War II

GEORGE KORSON

At His Side was originally published in 1945 by Coward-McCann, Inc., New York.

* * *

To the memory of American Red Cross men and women

who gave their lives serving the Armed Forces in World War II.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

REQUEST FROM THE PUBLISHER

FOREWORD

LONG before Pearl Harbor, the American Red Cross served in World War II. Beginning with the Japanese invasion of China in 1937, it provided relief for the victims of aggression as one country after another was invaded. In the Far East, in Europe, and throughout the Middle East, its foreign war relief operations kept alive millions of civilians, mostly children, with food, clothing, and medical supplies.

The same day that German troops crossed the Polish border, the organization offered help to that stricken country through the International Red Cross Committee at Geneva. Relief, supervised by an American Red Cross staff, was distributed in the Government-General area, supplies being shipped from the United States through Italian ports. With Italys entry into the war these ports were closed, and the Polish relief program, after available stocks had been exhausted, was discontinued. However, relief was extended to Polish refugees who fled to many countries.

Relief to Great Britain exceeded by far that for any other country. Aid began with a cash grant only a few hours after her declaration of war. Civilians bombed from their homes during the great air raids and refugees from Allied countries received the greater part of American Red Cross assistance. The American Junior Red Cross financed special nurseries for British children orphaned, maimed, or made homeless by German air attacks. The American Red Cross Harvard University Hospital in England during 1941-1942 was prepared to fight epidemics if they had developed.

An American Red Cross relief mission arrived in Moscow not long after the invasion of Russian soil. From then on, a continuous stream of supplies, most of them purchased with United States Government funds, went to Russia over the winding desert and mountain roads from the Persian Gulf, through the hazardous waters of the Arctic Ocean to Murmansk or across the Siberian steppes from Vladivostok. Russia became the second largest field of American Red Cross foreign relief operations.

The American Red Cross was at work in France before its fall, and subsequently its activities were restricted to the unoccupied area where its workers supervised the distribution among civilians of six shiploads of food, clothing, and medicines. In May and June, 1941, bread made from American flour was distributed in unoccupied France. Later, the organizations efforts were directed toward providing milk for French children and layettes for infants.

Relief of various kinds was extended to many thousands of homeless refugees in Europe and throughout the Middle East.

In nearly every invaded country, relief started immediately after the enemys attack and was continued as long as the distribution could be supervised by an American Red Cross staff. Norman H. Davis, then chairman of the American Red Cross, insisted upon this.

It was a fortuitous circumstance that found Mr. Davis directing the Red Cross in the most crucial period of its history. A man with the rare combination of experience and vision, of warm human traits and executive ability, he enjoyed the confidence of most of the civilized world and the affection and admiration of his fellow countrymen.

Chairman Davis was a roving ambassador for two wartime presidents, Woodrow Wilson and Franklin D. Roosevelt, and in peacetime served under two other presidents, Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover. Most of his diplomatic missions in Europe concerned disarmament and peace, ideals closest to his heart. By nature a gentle, good-humored man, he was willing to fight only for peace. When the cause of world peace seemed lost, he found solace in his appointment by President Roosevelt to head the American Red Cross. That was in 1938. In a letter to Mrs. Roosevelt thanking her for her word of congratulation, Mr. Davis wrote: I must say there is a humanitarian and spiritual aspect to the Red Cross which makes a particularly strong appeal to me. Having worked earnestly for many years without any appreciable results to bring about disarmament and peace and thus to prevent human suffering, I am glad to devote myself to the alleviation of human suffering which cannot be prevented.

As resolutely as he had fought for peace, Norman H. Davis threw himself into discharging the wartime mission of the Red Cross. Despite poor health, in 1943 he flew all over England, North Africa, and Sicily inspecting Red Cross installations and talking with Red Cross workers and American soldiers and officers. He gave of himself unsparingly until the last day, July 2, 1944, when, a victim of overwork, he died at Hot Springs, Virginia. His death was mourned universally.

To fill the vacancy left by Mr. Davis death, President Roosevelt, on July 13, 1944, appointed Basil OConnor, distinguished lawyer and philanthropist, as the organizations tenth chairman. The following December, Mr. OConnor was reappointed, this time to the full term.

Former law partner, trusted friend and advisor, Mr. OConnor long had been in the Presidents confidence, and now he was entrusted by him with the chairmanship of an organization that was close to Mr. Roosevelts heart and to the hearts of countless Americans. To this exalted office, Mr. OConnor brought personal qualities and experience that had won him distinction as a lawyer and as a national leader in the field of philanthropy, inter-religious relations, and brotherhood. A man of vigor and boundless energy, serving as a volunteer, it was characteristic of him that only a few weeks after taking office, he flew across the Atlantic to observe Red Cross activities on European battlefields at first hand and to learn from General Eisenhower and other military leaders how Red Cross services might be improved.

Returning from Europe, Chairman OConnor traveled thousands of miles visiting Red Cross chapters in various parts of the United States to report on his observations. He was determined to keep in close touch with the grass roots of his organizationto report to them and in turn draw inspiration from them. His Red Cross creed is summed up in these words:

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