Figure 1.--This is a map prouduced by the United States Food Administration to alert Americans to the dire food situation in Europe after World War I explaining why American aid was so desperately needed. Note the problem as most severe in Eastern Europe where American food hupmnts could not be trnported until Germany was defeated.

After 4 years of brutal conflict and b=national mobilization to conscriot workers, includung agricultural workers, and producing material and rations for the military, agriculture across Europe had been severely affected and hrvests substantilly reduced. Maby of these countries had largely agriculytiral economies, but it would take time for them to reciver from the War. Rationing waa implemented, but oftn even the rationed mounts were often not available. Hunger were common throughout the continent and some areas were experiencing famine conditions. After American entered the War, it created the he U.S. Food Administration (USFA) to promote food production and to help supply the Allies and countries invaded by the Central Powers (1917). Herbert Hoover who had helped orghanize the effort to prevent the Belgians from starving was appointed as essentially the U.S. food admimistrator. The USFA was a war-time agency and thus due to expire with the end of the War. This would have left the starving people in Eastern Europe in the lurch. Hoover saw to it that anew agency was created to essentailly save Europe --the American Relief Administration (ARA), establishef afew months after the War (February 1919). This was a massive U.S. food relief effort after World War I to keep millions of Europeans, including then communist Russia, from starving to death. The ARA relied on the Amerrican Red Cross to provide workers to organize the relief effort in Europe. American food shipments were able to reach countries in Western and southern Europe before the end of the War. The first country America saved was Belgium. The invading German Army seized the civilain food supply. Shipments to Italy were very important throughout the War and presented no real problem because the Allies controlled the Mediterranean. Shipments to Serbia were a problem because it was occupied by the Central Powers. Only when the Allies launched an offensive from Greece were food shipments into Serbia and Montenegro possible (1917). The major problem was Eastern Europe (Finland, the new Baltic Republics, Poland, Russia/including Ukraine, Czechoslovakia, Romania, and Armenia). Until Germany was defeated, it was impossible to transport the desperately needed food to them. A map published at the end of the War by the USFA shows the European food situation. Even countries that had been neurtral were affected by serious food shortages. The map shows the areas worst affected by famine, but ignores the food emergency in the Cebntral Powees (Germany, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Turkey). The ARA oversaw food aid to Europe until 1922 (20 percent going to Poland), and to Russia until 1923 (when it was discovered the Bolsheviks had resumed grain exports). Details on American aid to these countries pictured in map can be found here here.

Created: 10:24 PM 4/28/2017
Last updated: 10:24 PM 4/28/2017