During the two world wars, the United States saved millions of people from starvation.

During the First World War, which took the lives of millions of soldiers, millions of civilians were starving. The threat of famine persisted for a long time after the cessation of hostilities.

Herbert Hoover.
Photo: history.com

The situation could have been even more serious if it were not for the efforts of Herbert Hoover, who later became 31 President of the United States, writes Share America.

Hoover, born the son of a country blacksmith in Iowa, became a mining engineer and by the age of 40 had gained fame for his large-scale projects in various parts of the world - from Australia to China. The First World War found Hoover in London, where the US consul asked him to organize the evacuation of 120 thousand Americans who were in Europe.

Then the US ambassador to the UK asked him to help the residents of Belgium's 7 million, which at that time was occupied by the German army and cut off from the food import by a sea blockade. In the same position were 3 million French citizens.

For several days, Hoover enlisted the support of many wealthy businessmen, officials and charitable organizations in Europe. He formed a team that was able to solve this problem. Soon, 20 thousand tons of wheat were sent from the Netherlands to Belgium by water channels. At the negotiations, Hoover achieved commitments to ensure the safe passage of cargo ships. This made it possible to deliver millions of tons of food to other countries affected by the war.

In the schools of Belgium, children received an additional “lunch of Hoover” - high-calorie sweet crackers with chocolate. Over the 4 year of the war, food and other humanitarian aid worth $ 615 million (in 1920 prices of the year) was sent to Belgium.

A small-sized organization created by him every month throughout the war delivered humanitarian supplies worth $ 12 million.

In April, 1917, after the United States entered World War I, President Woodrow Wilson instructed Hoover to create a Food Administration. Americans were called on to “tighten their belts,” and farmers, to produce more products. And this patriotic campaign has achieved success.

Photo: Library of Congress

The Food Administration created by Hoover was tasked with ensuring the production of a sufficient number of products not only for American troops and allies, but also for civilians in the United States and Europe.

Officially, he was an administrator, but the newspapers called him “the king of produce” and “food dictator of America.” With public support and relying on the assistance of large businessmen, Hoover overcame all the difficulties and demonstrated his best qualities as a genius organizer.

The slogan of his department “War will win food!” Decorated posters and badges of that time.

Photo: Library of Congress

Hoover refused to introduce product rationing and called for less consumption. “Fast Monday” and “Wednesday without bread” were encouraged.

“We knew that the Americans are ready for great sacrifices, but they don’t like it when they decide for them,” he said over the years.

Farmers were guaranteed high purchase prices for wheat, pork and other agricultural products, and they achieved record harvests.

After 6 days after the signing of the armistice agreement, Hoover sailed to Europe to continue work to fight hunger, both in the victorious and in the defeated countries. “In all the liberated cities and in all the cities in the defeated countries there were a huge number of street children, orphans suffering from malnutrition, the sick, children with stunted growth,” Hoover recalled in his autobiography.

To remedy the situation, the American Aid Administration was created, which he led. Thanks to this organization, millions of children in Germany, Austria, Hungary, Poland and other countries had food.

After the war, led by Hoover, the American Relief Administration, as well as the American Quaker Committee at the service of society, the Red Cross, and many other charitable organizations supplied food and clothing to hungry children in Russia.

During the famine, the newly formed Soviet Union, which then did not have diplomatic relations with the United States, also received extensive assistance.

Photo: Library of Congress

The famous Russian writer Maxim Gorky wrote to Hoover in 1922 year: “Your help will go down in history as a unique achievement in its importance worthy of the greatest glory. It will long remain in the memory of the millions of people in Russia who you saved from death. ”

By the time Hoover served in the presidential office of Warren Harding. Then, under President Calvin Coolidge, he assumed the post of Minister of Commerce. In 1928, Hoover was elected president of the United States. He spent one term in this post and in the 1932 year, during the Great Depression, lost the next presidential election to Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Fourteen years later, after the end of the Second World War, President Harry Truman commissioned Xuwer, the summer-fledged Hoover, to carry out another global food aid mission. Hoover energetically set to work.

In a statement on national radio, he said: “The threat of famine looms over the homes of more than 800 million people. This is a third of the world's population. We can save these people. ” And the American people again supported him.

In Europe and Asia, Hoover visited the areas most affected by the war. He urged the kings and prime ministers of countries that had escaped a worse fate to contribute to international efforts to fight hunger.

At the end of the mission, President Truman expressed his appreciation to Hoover for “selfless work for peace.”

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