Carrying the Flag in Europe: The American Red Cross in France During World War I

Carrying the Flag in Europe: The American Red Cross in France During World War I

JFL, Terrace Conference Room (001)

Following an unsuccessful attempt to deploy American Red Cross (ARC) nurses in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson rearranged the American Red Cross for service in France a second time. In June 1917, the ARC left for France, arriving prior to the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), led by General John J. Pershing. Working simultaneously with the American Relief Cleaning House, the ARC established several field hospitals for the soldiers, as well as education and relief centers for French women and children. Under the command of Major Grayson M. P. Murphy, the American Red Cross carried an attitude of American pride and patriotism in the absence of American forces on the European Front. While in France, the American Red Cross stepped back from their previous policy of neutrality, working alongside the United States Army Nurse Corps in ARC Military Hospitals, designed to only aid U.S. soldiers. ARC Convalescent Homes and ARC Hospitals were not limited to American soldiers but were dedicated only to Allied Forces. The ARC also operated centers of relief for the French public. From 1917 to 1920, nurses and volunteers of the American Red Cross worked tirelessly to support the Allied cause, further aiding in the rebuilding of France and the Allied victory in World War I.