Russian American Society

On June 29, 1941 , a week after the Nazi Germany attack on the USSR , at an anti-fascist rally on Potrero Hill, a working area of San Francisco , a decision was made to create a "Russian-American Society" ("RAO"). The RAO organization was initiated by emigrants from Russia . Professor Stanford University , a well-known artist, Viktor Mikhailovich Arnautov , a white officer who emigrated after the defeat of Kolchak’s army, was elected chairman. Soon, in New York at a meeting of major officials, lawyers and businessmen, the Society for Assisting Russia in War (Russian War Relief, Rashin War Relief, or RUR) was established ^[1] . (Both names featured Russia, not the USSR). In September 1941, RAO and similar charitable organizations that arose in various US cities were officially legalized by the government of President Roosevelt . They were united by a common goal: participation in fundraising for the Red Army Fund , assistance to the population and the organization of rallies calling for the early opening of the Second Front . ^[2]

Since 1942, RAO issued the For Victory Bulletin in English and Russian, which printed news from the fronts, as well as financial reports on the work done. The newsletter was published monthly with donations. The work of the editorial board was free of charge. The last issue of the For Victory Bulletin n 4/27 was published in September 1945. ^[3] Consul General of the USSR, Yakov Mironovich Lomakin ^{[4] [5]} received a collection of Bulletins signed by the authors, in gratitude for the numerous speeches in support of the opening of the Second Front at the meetings of the “RUR” and “RAO” and for their active participation in the Land- Liz in 1942-1944

Membership in RAO united local clubs, heterogeneous in their political and religious convictions, created by American citizens living on the west coast of the United States. Most of them were emigrants from Russia, Ukraine , Belarus and other Slavic diasporas : workers, farmers and people in creative professions. In 1941, more than 50 thousand immigrants from Russia lived in San Francisco and its suburbs. Many left their homeland after the 1917 revolution and reacted negatively to the Soviet regime , but they were united by hatred of fascism and compassion for the victims of the war. An active role in the work of RAO was played by the Molokans , Dukhobors , jumpers and Old Believers who emigrated from Tsarist Russia as a result of religious persecution, as well as descendants of Russian Jews who escaped from the pogroms . ^{[6] [7]} Many members of RAO belonged to the “white” post-revolutionary wave, while others fled from the “ red terror ” and the horrors of the civil war . Ordinary, not rich people contributed money to the Red Army Fund, for which RAO activists bought medicines, equipment and tools for hospitals. From the book of Arnautov ^[8] it is known that annual donations amounted to 20-25 thousand dollars. Volunteers collected, packed and sent parcels with clothes and household items. With cordial warmth, they wrote letters that they put into individual gifts to soldiers.

Under the chairmanship of Estonian Anastasia Jurgenson, a member of RAO, the Mothers Club (Potrero Hill Mother's Club, a charitable organization that has existed since 1934 ) has successfully worked. They raised funds not only for the Red Army, but also for the civilian population. They provided special assistance to the Moscow Children's Hospital. Rusakov and the Kardymovsky orphanage devastated by the Nazis near Smolensk . At RAO rallies, the heroes of World War I spoke about the ongoing military operations of the Red Army: Tsar General Viktor Aleksandrovich Yakhontov (1881–1978) and Colonel Boris Emmanuilovich von Wah ( 1889–1958 ). ^[9] Concerts, balls, meetings, buffets, lotteries and exhibitions were organized to collect donations. Donations were made not only in cash. For buffets, farmers from San Francisco-based agricultural areas donated food. The RAO Bulletins preserved long roll-call lists indicating the amount of donations: $ 2 and 1 goose; $ 1 plus a can of cucumbers and a dozen eggs; one turkey and a box of apples. A Lithuanian club of women from Auckland donated their sweaters, scarves and socks. There was strict financial reporting . Most of the funds raised for the Red Army, RAO transferred to the Society for Assistance to Russia in the War, which had branches in more than 40 US cities and was supported by influential sponsors . In New York, rallies for collecting donations to help the Red Army were attended by New York Mayor , Republican Furell La Guardia . On June 20, 1942, he called for a raise of $ 6 million for Soviet hospitals. ^[ten]

Boxes collected by RAO activists were transported from port cities of the western coast of the USA on transport vessels of the Soviet Union’s Morflot and on Liberty ships built to transport goods under the Lend-Lease program. The government of the USSR kept deliveries of goods from the USA in strict secrecy from its people. All ships went under the Soviet flag and with the Soviet crew. A significant part of the unloading was carried out by the prisoners of the Gulag . After unloading the ships of the Liberty ships, the Soviet government used to transport prisoners to numerous camps in the Far East. ^{[11] The} members of RAO had no idea about the atrocities of the Stalinist regime . In 1942, a photograph and a note was published about the heroism of Lieutenant General Yakov Vladimirovich Smushkevich, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, who was arrested by the NKVD and shot as an “enemy of the people” before the outbreak of war ^[12] .

After the hardships of unemployment since the Great Depression , interest in the first state of “workers and peasants” was enormous. The government of President Roosevelt was able to lead the country out of the economic crisis , which gave people confidence in the correctness of his policy regarding assistance to the Red Army.

After the death of Roosevelt and the surrender of Germany, the division of spheres of influence in Europe led to an acute confrontation between the USSR and the USA. Under the rule of President Truman, all activities of Soviet assistance in the war were declared "anti-American." During the McCarthyism period, RAO fell into a long list of charitable and human rights organizations under the general name of the "Communist Front." ^[13] Many activists lost their jobs, were left without hope of finding a new one, appeared in court, prosecuted by the FBI , some were forced to leave the country ^[14]

Land lease

• RUSSIAN-AMERICAN SOCIETY, SAN FRANCISCO (1941-1946)
• San Francisco (1942-1944) Second Front. Russian American Society
• Russian War Relief by Edward C. Carter

• V. M. Arnautov “Life anew”, ed. Donbass, Donetsk 1965
• “Between Russia and Stalin. Russian Emigration and the Second World War ”, (edited by V. Karpenko) M. 2004
• A. A. Khisamutdinov, Russian San Francisco, Moscow Veche, 2010
• A. Kh. Paperno, Lend Liz Pacific Ocean. Secrets of the story. M. Terra, 1998
• V.V. Pozner "Farewell to Illusions", ed. Astrel: Polygraph Publishing House, 2012