Greco-Turkish War: American Relief Aid to Greece (1920s)


Figure 1.-- Child film star Jackie Coogan took at interest in Greek relief and help raised funds for food to feed the Greeks. The caption here read, "Jackie Coogan's Ship Comes In: Film star and his father watch part of the Million Dollar Food Cargo, raised by American children for Jackie's Modern Crusade for Near East Relief orphans arrived at Piraeus." As aresult of American Relief programs durig World war I, the Gco-Turkish War, World war II, and the Cold war, very few Greeks today are no relate or have family friends that were not saved by America.

The Greeks received American relief food and supplies during World War I. This continued in the immediate aftermath of the War. A major refugee crisis, however, occured following the War I aa a result of the Greco-Turkish War (1920-22). After the British withdrew support, the Turkish Army smashed the Greek Army. The Greco-Turkish War was a disaster for Greece. A population exchange was agreed. But as a result of military defeats, Greeks were largely removed from eastern Anatolia where their ancestors had lived for millenia. The refuges flooded into Greek cities which in the aftermath of World War did not have the capability of caring for them. The resulting refugee crisis was worse than the situation during World War I. Greece even in normal times is not self-sufficent in food. And the post-War era was not normal times. Greece was in political and economic turmoil. Food shortages were severe. Fighting continued with the Turks. There was no way the Greeks on their own could care for the massive refugee flow from Antolia. NER shifted from a primarily Armenian operation to one also aiding the starving Greek refugees. Relief supplies flowed into Piraeus, an important Greek port since ancient times. Child film star Jackie Coogan took at interest in Greek relief and help raised funds for food to feed the Greeks. Greek refugees exploded the population of Piraeus from 133,482 people in 1920 to 251,659 in 1928. Other centers for refuges experienced similar population expolsions.






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Created: 1:45 AM 2/10/2018
Last updated: 1:45 AM 2/10/2018