Amerikas Sarkanā Krusta darbība Latvijā 1920.–1921. gadā: Rīgā iznākošais laikraksts “Red Cross Bulletin”

During the Latvian War of Independence, as well as in the postwar period, very complex processes took place, involving practically all parts of Latvian society and political forces, as well as neighbouring countries and their armed forces; missions from Western powers – Britain, France and the United States – were also present, including humanitarian ones, because in fact the country was also in a deep humanitarian crisis. The United States was particularly prominent in this relief work, with several American relief organisations operating in Latvia, one of the most important being the American Red Cross (ARC). The aim of the article is to present the specifics of the ARC activities in Latvia in the early 1920s through the prism of its newspaper, by reviewing the themes of the newspaper and making general references to the most important details of the processes and events in Latvian history covered by the newspaper. The weekly newspaper published in Riga in the spring of 1920–end of 1921 is a new, hitherto unknown and spectacular historical source. In fact, the publication of the newspaper was an important expression of the ARC mission activities, covering many areas of the organisation’s activities in the Baltic States and especially in Latvia. In addition, the publication of the newspaper has made it possible to document, from an American point of view, the activities of the mission and the experiences of Americans in the Baltic States, as well as to reflect their vision and sometimes their opinion of events, in a form typical of the unofficial press. In many cases, the information provided is valuable and even unique, as it differs from both Latvian sources and the official documentation of the American missions.