Immigrant Heroes of World War I

1. Set Focus
Pose this essential question: How do immigrants become a part of their new societies?

2. List Vocabulary
Share some of the challenging vocabulary words in the article (see below). Encourage students to use context to infer meanings as they read.

• patriotic (p. 17)
• xenophobia (p. 18)
• disloyalty (p. 18)
• neutrality (p. 19)
• replicated (p. 19)
• backlash (p. 20)

3. Engage
Have students discuss what they think it means to be patriotic.

4. Read and Discuss
Ask students to read the Upfront article about immigrant soldiers who fought for the U.S. in World War I. Review why the article is a secondary source. (It was written by someone who didn’t personally experience or witness the events.) Then pose these critical-thinking questions::

• Why did World War I intensify anti-immigrant attitudes in the U.S.? (Xenophobia was already on the rise in reaction to the large number of immigrants who had come to the U.S. between 1880 and 1910. At the start of the war, in 1914, many native-born Americans began to question the loyalty of recent immigrants, especially those from Germany and other countries that America’s allies were fighting. Native-born Americans also questioned whether newcomers would be willing to fight for the U.S.)  

• How did the war help reduce anti-immigrant attitudes, at least for a brief time? (Foreign-born soldiers served loyally during the war and sometimes were killed in battle. Their bravery helped change the attitudes of many of their native-born fellow soldiers. On the home front, many immigrant communities gained new acceptance as a result of foreign-born soldiers serving in the military. Immigrant soldiers who did not speak English took English classes while in the military, which helped them integrate.)

• The author says the immigrants who fought for the U.S. in World War I redefined what it meant to be American. What does he mean? (The author means that because of the brave service of foreign-born soldiers, native-born Americans began to view recent immigrants­—as well as people who spoke with accents, maintained traditional cultures, or had non-Anglo names—as American.)

• What was the first Red Scare? How did it adversely affect immigrants? (The first Red Scare, which happened soon after the end of World War I, was the fear that Communism would spread to America. In reaction, the U.S. government targeted native-born “radicals” and imprisoned and deported immigrants it deemed threats, often with little proof—giving new life to xenophobia.)

5. Use the Primary Sources
Project or distribute the PDF ‘Equal Opportunities’ (or assign it in Google Classroom), which features excerpts from a patriotic speech given by immigrant Carl Julius Ernst in 1917. Discuss what makes the speech a primary source. (It provides firsthand evidence concerning the topic.) Have students read the excerpts and answer the questions below (which appear on the PDF without answers).

• How would you describe the tone and purpose of these excerpts from Ernst’s speech? (The tone can be described as critical in relation to Europe and praising in relation to the U.S. The purpose is to inspire patriotism.)

• What is Ernst’s main argument? How does he support this argument? (In these excerpts, Ernst’s main argument is that America is a land of equal opportunity, whereas Europe is defined by its class distinctions that prevent upward mobility. He supports this argument by asking his audience members to reflect on why they came to America—to improve their lives. He then gives a detailed description of how members of different classes in Europe do not associate with each other.)

• Considering how Ernst describes Europe, what do you think he thought his life might be like if he had stayed there? (You can infer that Ernst doubted he would have risen to the level of railroad executive, as he did in America, if he had stayed in Europe. You can infer this based on his comments about coming to America to improve one’s life and his description of the class divisions in Europe.) 

• Reflect on what you know about U.S. history. Do you think any Americans at that time would have taken issue with Ernst’s claims about equality in the U.S. Why or why not? (Responses will vary. Students may note that at the time Black Americans and women would have disagreed with Ernst’s claims that America is a land of equal opportunity. Students may also point out that the people Ernst was addressing—recent immigrants—indeed had greater opportunity in the U.S. than in Europe, and therefore, he was correct with his claims within that realm.)

• Based on the Upfront article and the excerpts from Ernst’s speech, why do you think so many recent immigrants were willing to fight bravely for the U.S. and looked back on their service with pride? (Responses will vary. Students should support their ideas with evidence from both texts.)

6. Writing Prompt
Research how World War I changed public attitudes in the U.S. toward German immigrants, communities, and culture. Write a one-page summary of your findings.

7. Quiz
Use the quiz to assess comprehension.

8. Classroom Debate
Have public attitudes toward immigrants changed since 1917?

9. Speaking With Meaning
Display the poster found in this link: https://www.loc.gov/item/2002722702/. Ask: Who is the intended audience for this poster? How is the poster using an emotional appeal? What does this poster add to your understanding of how immigrants helped the U.S. succeed in World War I?