Students Can Take Inspiration from President Truman's Mission to Youth

A great way for students to start the new school year is to take a quick trip back in time to 1946. That’s when President Harry Truman called on young people to take action to address the hunger crisis that followed World War II.

At a youth conference on famine relief in July 1946, Truman said: “You can make a difference in the situation we face…by impressing upon our people the need to continue to contribute to the feeding of the world.”

Although World War II ended in 1945, the enemy of hunger remained in Europe and Asia. Food shortages always accompany war and last much longer than the fighting.

World War II was the most serious conflict in history, and the risk of famine was the greatest. By 1946, millions of people were in danger of starving to death in war-torn countries because of food shortages.

President Truman had to mobilize the nation and the world to stop the threat of famine. Calling young Americans to action was part of Truman’s plan.

The Youth Conference aimed to keep the issue of hunger at the forefront of the American public’s minds. It focused on preventing food waste and encouraging donations to fight hunger. The famous CARE program, for example, was one way people could donate to fight hunger abroad.

“Many people will tell you now that they are tired of hearing about starvation and misery. Perhaps they are, for our great country very rarely reaches the point where a portion of its people are starving. We cannot understand what is happening in those countries whose farms, homes, and property have been completely destroyed,” President Truman told the students.

Truman knew that combating hunger abroad would require considerable aid over several years, so maintaining public support for the effort was a matter of course.

“I know that the youth can keep the fires burning that will enable us to see that the world does not starve, having won the victory for liberty and right,” Truman said.

After World War II, young people helped defeat hunger and prevent famine. Whether it was by preventing food waste or organizing a fundraiser at their school, young people took action. They contributed to the fight against hunger. When everyone gets involved, hunger can be defeated.

American food aid was essential to achieving peace after the war. The millions of infants saved from malnutrition and the children eating in school cafeterias in Europe and Asia are proof of that.

Today, young people can also save lives and build peace by speaking out against world hunger. Students can work together to make hunger prevention a part of their curriculum and school activities. As President Truman said, educating others about hunger is essential.

Students can organize events to educate others about the famine in Sudan, Gaza, and the drought in southern Africa. They can talk about the impact of malnutrition on infants and the need for emergency food aid in war and disaster zones. According to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), “up to 309 million people suffer from chronic hunger in 71 countries.”

The more people are informed about the hunger crisis, the more it will become a priority. This concern will be conveyed to their representatives in Congress. This is crucial because combating hunger must be a priority for the government in developing its foreign policy. The public can play a role in shaping that policy.

Over the course of the school year, students may discover that one of their most important and rewarding lessons is becoming an advocate for the world’s hungry.

William Lambers is an author who collaborated with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to write the book Ending World Hunger. His writing has appeared in the Washington Post, NY Times, History News Network, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Newsweek, and many other outlets. Lambers volunteered to write the Hunger Heroes section of WFP’s Freerice online learning game.