William N. Haskell
William N. Haskell
An international relief commander amid famine
In October 1921, Haskell cabled Hoover that starvation would peak in winter and strike sixteen million people.
William N. Haskell was a U.S. Army officer who combined military command with postwar international relief administration. Appointed by Herbert Hoover, he directed the American Relief Administration’s operations in Soviet Russia from 1921 to 1923, organizing the large-scale distribution of food and medical supplies during the famine. His task required negotiating both the controls and the cooperation of Bolshevik officials while sustaining the speed and administrative accountability of relief. He later held senior commands in the New York National Guard and directed civilian-defense work, extending his career across military and state administration.
Career timeline
- 1901Graduated from West Point; cavalry officer
- 1905Graduated from the Army Staff College
- 1906–1907Served in U.S. operations in the Philippines
- 1916–1917Temporary colonel, 69th New York Infantry
- 1918–1919Field artillery with the AEF; temporary colonel and Distinguished Service Medal recipient
- 1919–1921Chief of the ARA Armenia Mission
- 1921–1923Director for Russia, ARA; directed famine relief
- 1926–1940Major general and commander of the New York National Guard
- 1944–1945Director of the U.S. Office of Civilian Defense