Urals Chekists and the American Relief Administration (1921–1923)

Abstract

As a horrific famine engulfed Russia in the summer of 1921, officials were hard pressed to ask the international community for aid. The Urals was among stricken areas. With the accord of Soviet Government, the American Relief Administration, better known as ARA, operated as a significant charitable organization from autumn 1921 until summer 1923. This American organization possessed considerable food and other material resources. The Russian authorities believed there was a danger that ARA employees would gather counter-revolutionary forces, and so the ARA was placed under the supervision of the Cheka and GPU. Secret agents of the Soviet special services were introduced into the foreign organization to track its activities. Members of the Bolshevik Party were supposed to help Chekists. According to information passed on by these Chekists, the ARA committeed no serious violations of Soviet law. At the same time, some unlawful actions of local ARA employees took place in the Urals, which Chekists suppressed. While the Cheka usually had an understanding with of ARA leadership, the Americans tried to protect their employees from excessive surveillance by the Chekists. Employees of the Cheka and the GPU in the Urals also protected ARA resources from embezzlement and misuse.