The Good Man of Honolulu (The Story of the Rescue of Petrograd Children by the American Red Cross)

Abstract

This article recounts the extraordinary efforts of Riley Allen, a journalist from Honolulu, who volunteered with the American Red Cross to rescue nearly 1,000 children from Petrograd during Russia’s Civil War (1918–1920). Amid political turmoil and severe famine, Allen played a pivotal role in relocating the children, initially stranded in Siberia, to safer locations, including Vladivostok and eventually the United States. The mission involved complex negotiations, logistical challenges, and a harrowing global journey through Japan, San Francisco, and Europe before many children returned to Petrograd. Allen’s humanitarian work highlighted international solidarity and left a lasting impact on the rescued children.