German Americans in WW1 by: Saanvi Kunisetty

 German Americans in WW1

Saanvi Kunisetty

German Americans claimed their loyalty to the United States once the country got involved. An anti-German propaganda campaign was formed against those who had originally declared support in favor of their home country. German culture and language was subdued, and Germans were sometimes regarded with hate and hostility, facing violence from Americans. Businesses and homes were vandalized, schools shut down, and local acts of violence occurred (such as tarring and feathering).

Still, the Americans had reason for showing hostility toward Germans. German Americans first supported their home country, so the Americans were worried about loyalty. Germans reacted with hate toward America when it remained neutral at the start of the War. One specific German-American ambassador threatened to rise up against the country if it entered the war, as it would hurt Germany’s performance. Germans’ attitude on the war was that if they could keep America occupied by worrying about itself, it wouldn’t worry about what was going on in Europe, so they took to damaging factories, subways, and bridges. At first, Woodrow Wilson remains calm and composed in response to the Germans’ actions when America remained neutral, but when Germany attempts to push Mexico into war with America, he says this. “I never expected that the people we had taken into our country, our friends and neighbors, would act this way.” The German-Americans were provocative of Americans, and left them feeling unsafe.

Sources:

“German Americans - Document - Gale in Context: U.S. History.” Gale.com, 2021, go.gale.com/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=Reference&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchResultsType=MultiTab&hitCount=143&searchType=BasicSearchForm¤tPosition=2&docId=GALE%7CBT2350011161&docType=Topic+overview&sort=Relevance&contentSegment=ZXAA-MOD1&prodId=UHIC&pageNum=1&contentSet=GALE%7CBT2350011161&searchId=R1&userGroupName=monm93287&inPS=true. Accessed 4 Oct. 2021.

Fresh Air. “During World War I, Germany Unleashed ‘Terrorist Cell in America.’” NPR.org, Fresh Air, 25 Feb. 2014, www.npr.org/2014/02/25/282439233/during-world-war-i-germany-unleashed-terrorist-cell-in-america. Accessed 4 Oct. 2021.