Fridtjof Nansen and European Food Aid in Bolshevik Russia and Ukraine in 1921–1923

• Published in: Matériaux pour l histoire de notre temps
• Main Author: Vogt, Carl-Emil
• Other Authors: University of Oslo (UiO)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: French
• Published: HAL CCSD 2009
• Subjects: Russie; Ukraine; [SHS.HIST]Humanities and Social Sciences/History; Fridtjof; Fridtjof Nansen
• Online Access: https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-03727709; https://doi.org/10.3917/mate.095.0002

International audience From 1921 to 1923, the Norwegian diplomat Fridtjof Nansen (1861-1930) coordinated, within the Comité international de secours à la Russie, Internationl Committee for Russian Relief (ICRR), the action of different humanitarian organizations bringing food aid to Russian and Ukrainian people. This article offers a comparative view of the action undertaken by the International Committee of the Red Cross, ICRC, and the action of the humanitarian association American Relief Administration, ARA. Interestingly, it was out of nticommunism that that the Americans provided ARA with important means; and it was by anticommunism that the Europeans, on their part, provided their missions with limited means. In such a context of ideological clash, in what was the Nansen Mission specific? Entre 1921 et 1923, le diplomate norvégien Fridtjof Nansen (1861-1930) coordonna, au sein du Comité international de secours à la Russie (CISR), l’action des différentes organisations humanitaires apportant une aide alimentaire aux populations russes et ukrainiennes. Cet article compare l’action du CISR à celle de l’ American Relief Administration (ARA), association humanitaire américaine. Par anticommunisme, les Américains allouèrent d’importants moyens à l’ARA tandis que par anticommunisme également, les Européens allouèrent des moyens limités. Quelle est, dans ce contexte d’affrontements idéologiques, la spécificité de l’aide apportée par la Mission Nansen ?