Competition of Benefactors: The Disputed Legacy of Herbert Hoover’s Humanitarian Drive in Belgium during the First World War

The Commission for Relief in Belgium (CRB), set up in October 1914 and overseen throughout the war by Herbert Hoover, saved millions of Belgians and hundreds of thousands of French from starvation. If we leave aside the heroic literature dedicated to this pioneering experience of entrepreneurial humanitarianism, the bulk of scholarly studies have dealt with the tense diplomatic negotiations between belligerent powers which saw the distribution of tons of foodstuff. The study of the postwar legacy of this drive, on the other hand, has largely been overlooked. The proposed article seeks to fill... Mehr ...