Britain and the International Committee of the Red Cross, 1939-1945

James Crossland's work traces the history of the International Committee of the Red Cross' struggle to bring humanitarianism to the Second World War, by focusing on its tumultuous relationship with one of the conflict's key belligerents and masters of the blockade of the Third Reich, Great Britain.

Crossland provides an important contribution to the relatively recent turn to writing the history of humanitarianism and of international humanitarian organizations. This book is a valuable text both for its detailed analysis of the ICRC and its connections with the British government during the Second World War, and for its broader approach, which focuses on logistics and coordination as well as the ethical dilemmas and dominant personalities of the ICRC during this time. (Journal of Contemporary History, Vol. 52 (3), 2017) This study highlights the importance of individuals and leadership in the history of humanitarianism. this book can be read as an informative study in humanitarian diplomacy, and its lessons are of timeless relevance. (Lukas Schemper, Diplomacy & Statecraft, Vol. 27 (1), 2016)

Autorentext
James Crossland is Lecturer in Modern European History and Director of the World Wars Research Group at Murdoch University, Australia.

Inhalt
PART I 1. Britain and the Red Cross, 1864-1929 2. Grandeur, Tribulation, Apocalypse, 1919-1940 PART II 3. Prisoners and Parcels, 1940-1941 4. Dependence and Divergence, 1941-1942 5. Civilians and Ships, 1940-1943 6. Prestige and Credibility, 1942-1943 7. Humanity and Götterdämmerung, 1944-1945 8. Relief and Redundancy, 1945-1946