| Was USA a society in conflict after WWI? | |
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| Jul 15, 2008 04:51 |   |
| guest679 | The failure of the Paris Convention makes USA disillusionemnet of progressives. The WWI unleashed red-hot patriotism in America. The patriostism was developed to an extreme extent (100% Americanism). America became more of an exclusive solationist. Middle-class Americans linked immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe to anarchism. It was a hard time for immigrants in USA. Wasn't USA a society in conflict after WWI? |
| Jul 15, 2008 05:33 | #1 |
 | The First World War was "the war to end all wars". It was so horrible that many in all nations decided that they would not get drawn into such a mess again. Many Nations were involved in the war because of treaties and international obligations and so they desired to not create such a situation again. The 1920's and 1930's were not particularly nationalistic for us as many saw that such extreme patriotism led Europeans to the war in the first place. While some avoided international entanglements and became isolationists, some wanted the world to band together under the red flag of international Communism. The upheavals in Russia and Germany caused by the Communist movements there scared other countries including the U.S. Most anarchists were really international socialist/communists and unfortunatley they sometimes set off riots or bombs to get attention. This turned off many who saw a threat to the status quo. Immigrants never stopped arriving from all parts of the world but when some joined the internationalist movement they were held in suspicion. Those who assimilated were successful. In the long run, it was not easy to convince Americans to fight on behalf of Europeans or Asiatics until they could be convinced it was in our interests too. This was done by appealing to our natural sympathy for those less fortunate and propaganda about the atrocities committed by the Japanese on the Chinese and the Nazis on occupied countries was shown in feature films and newsreels. |
| Jul 16, 2008 04:41 | #2 |
| GUEST679 | Thanks for your reply,YINDUFFY. I read a report that says the most famous example of the anti-immigrant trend was the ' Sacco and Vanzetti' case. Was that about the Italian immigrants in the USA? |
| Jul 16, 2008 05:27 | #3 |
| Yes, it has been shown that Anti-immigration feelings were prominent during heir trial for murder and robbery. However, it was a trail by jury. Yes, they were Italian immigrants. Ethnic tensions were not distinctive to the post-WW1 period. Just about every ethnic group - even Irish-Americans: of which I am one - have had a period of tough times. In the 1920's newspapers were the primary news medium. Radio was just starting and there was to TV and Newspapers made their money by selling papers. Sensational headlines helped sell papers so the "threat" of all these immigrants was hyped. Also labor Unions were active and working for more rights and benefits for their members. Company owners did not like the threat of having to pay higher wages for an 8 hour day and a five day workweek. They attacked the Unions and associated the recent immigrants from Europe with them. Eventually by 1940 labor laws had changed and a lot of the Unions request were made law. Now immigrants from other countries are arriving and in some neighborhoods they are beginning the process of assimilating. |
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