AMERICAN RED CROSS
Europe was thrown into conflict in June 1914. At the beginning of the war, the American Red Cross was a small organization still in the process of developing its identity and programs. When the United States declared war against Germany on April 6, 1917, the organization began a period of extraordinary growth. By the time the war ended in November 1918, the Red Cross had become a major national humanitarian organization with strong leadership, a huge membership base, universal recognition, and a broad and distinguished record of service. Here are some of the highlights of that remarkable period in Red Cross history.
Historical Summary: Within weeks of the outbreak of war, the American Red Cross dispatched a ship to Europe loaded with medical personnel and supplies. Named the SS Red Cross, it was better known as "the Mercy Ship." It carried 170 surgeons and nurses who were being sent to Europe to provide medical relief to combat casualties on both sides of the war. This was consistent with the articles of the Geneva Conventions and the principles of the Red Cross Movement that called for strict observation of neutrality and impartiality. Additional personnel and supplies followed but the Red Cross ended this effort after little more than a year, primarily because of lack of sufficient funding. When the United States declared war against Germany, the American Red Cross found itself embarking on the adventure that would transform it almost overnight into the large and important organization it is today. As the public's patriotism rose to a fever pitch in the early days of the war, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, as honorary chairman of the Red Cross, urged his fellow citizens to turn their energies into help for the organization that needed their voluntary support in order to meet the needs of the thousands of young men joining the Allied forces on the battlefields of Europe.
Historical Summary: Within weeks of the outbreak of war, the American Red Cross dispatched a ship to Europe loaded with medical personnel and supplies. Named the SS Red Cross, it was better known as "the Mercy Ship." It carried 170 surgeons and nurses who were being sent to Europe to provide medical relief to combat casualties on both sides of the war. This was consistent with the articles of the Geneva Conventions and the principles of the Red Cross Movement that called for strict observation of neutrality and impartiality. Additional personnel and supplies followed but the Red Cross ended this effort after little more than a year, primarily because of lack of sufficient funding. When the United States declared war against Germany, the American Red Cross found itself embarking on the adventure that would transform it almost overnight into the large and important organization it is today. As the public's patriotism rose to a fever pitch in the early days of the war, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, as honorary chairman of the Red Cross, urged his fellow citizens to turn their energies into help for the organization that needed their voluntary support in order to meet the needs of the thousands of young men joining the Allied forces on the battlefields of Europe.