American Near East Relief Committee and its activities in Turkey (1915-1930)

The Near East Relief Committee was established in order to collect aid for Armenians subject to the Law of Relocation and Settlement in the years of The First World War. In the following periods it carried out aid activities for other Christian elements, especially Armenians, for about 15 years. The aim of this study is to reveal the organizational structure of the Near East Relief Committee and to examine the activities of the committee in Turkey. The committee was established in 1915 under the leadership of American Protestant missionaries to collect aid for the Armenians. The committee, which also received the support of the American state, grew in a short time and turned into a large organization over time. It helped refugees and orphans who had to leave their homeland due to the war. While these activities were being carried out, the target audience was primarily Armenians and other Christian elements. As a matter of fact, the delegation had largely terminated its general aid, orphanage, health and industrial activities in Turkey in 1923 when the destitute target group left Turkey, and continued its activities in other places until it turned into a foundation in 1930.