Humanitarian aid undoubtedly responds to a sincere desire to relieve the distress of others. However, this motivation is rarely in operation alone; in fact, it is often not the primary reason for the aid. This simple observation opens a wide field of investigation. What are the personal benefits that accrue from helping victims? What are the consequences of this self-interested aspect of aid on the fate of suffering populations? The answers to most of these questions lie in a particular dimension of human action, where what matters is not the outcome of the action itself, but the fact of being seen to perform it. The fundamental importance of this motivation for humanitarian action is illustrated by examining the tensions that took place within the Red Cross movement at the end of the First World War.