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AVALAINE DRIES
WORLD WAR I GERMAN-AMERICANS IN 1918
THE WAYS THE AMERICANS TREATED GERMANS LIVING IN AMERICA
RELATIONSHIPS ARE WEAKENED BECAUSE OF ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS
1918
THE LOSS OF GERMAN CULTURE IN THE UNITED STATES
World War 1
German-Americans in 1918 Imagine that you are a German living in a time of war, in America. You are a kind, caring, hard working, but because of your ethnical background you, and your family and friends are harmed. World War 1 was a military conflict, which was from 1914 lasting till 1918. Almost all the biggest powers of the world were in it. The two groups, the Allies, included the United States against the Central Powers, which included Germany. In the end the Allies won. World War 1 had an impact on the German Americans living in the US, and their family and friends, because they were treated worse than normal americans, their relationships with others weakened, and they have lost some of the culture.
How German-Americans were treated The war had an impact on the families and friends of German-Americans because they were treated worse than normal americans. If you were a German, but born in America, you would be treated differently than the average American. When the US enter into WW 1, Americans would persecute the German-Americans, they would burn down their land, and harm their family. Also they would take them out of their own houses sometimes, and make them sing the national anthem, or kiss the US flag. They would also abuse them and treat them as though they were lower than they were. And they wouldn’t be aloud in some places. Some text evidence from the story of how this was true is on page 141, after Karl’s barn is burned down. “‘I wonder how it started,’ I asked. ‘Schweine,’ said Karl. ‘I’m sorry I don’t understand.’ I looked over at Perilee. ‘Pigs,’ she answered. She brushed at her eyes. ‘The two-legged kind.’” This is something that some of the Americans would do, burn down houses, barns, and farming land, of German Americans. This shows how the Americans treated the Germans, and their families who
were living in the United States in the time of war.
Relationships between Germans and Americans Another impact that the war had on German-Americans, and their friends and family was their relationships with others became weaker. Since the US was in war against the Germans, a majority of the American people thought that all the Germans were horrible, bad, mean people, so their relationships weakened, and grew a part just because of their ethnical background. Here are some more details. The Americans wouldn’t always trust the German-Americans, so they would persecute them. If you were an American, but close friends with a German, than you were likely to be harmed as well. Then not only would they, the American-Germans, have a bad relationship with that person, you as well would probably have a bad relationship with them too. The people born in Germany would also have to register as ‘alien enemies’ because they weren’t trustworthy, and had to be watched over more than anyone else. On page 59 a newspaper article states “‘Alien Enemies Must Register,’ blared the headline.” This is how the Americans treated the German-Americans. They didn’t think that they could trust any of them, so they made all of them register. This is how the German-Americans were treated in World War 1.
The loss of German culture in the United States When America joined the war over in Europe. The German-Americans were treated worse than they had been in the past. Not only would they be physically treated badly, but there relationships with others weakened, and they lost part of their culture. The way the German’s did things were lost. And they had to learn how to live the way the Americans lived. They 1 wouldn’t be aloud to speak any other language besides english, and music originating from Germany would be banned. And for many, they were not allowed to practice their own beliefs, and couldn’t live according to them. According to Immigrant Entrepreneurship, “Schoolchildren were forced to sign pledges in which they promised not to use any foreign language whatsoever”. This shows how serious they were. And how the wanted to ruin the German culture. Overall the Americans did a good job of impacting the loss of 1
All students were forced to sign pledges agreeing that they would not speak any foreign language.
the German culture in the United States.
Why did people treat the Germans so badly during world war 1? Because over in Europe the Germans were fighting against the United States, so the Americans felt that they could not trust the German-Americans, so they wanted to get rid of them. World War 1 had an impact on many German-Americans and their friends and families because they would be treated worse, their relationships were weakened, and they lost some of their culture. How would it feel to be kind, loyal, helpful, and hardworking, but because of your ethnic background you cannot do certain things, be with certain people, and do things the way you have been doing them in the past.
Bibliography Map: Omniatlas. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 June 17. Flag Pinsdaddy. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 June 17.
Front page: "World War I: American-German Relations." Children in History. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 June 2017.
School Class photo:Wikipedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 June 2017.
Information:"German-Americans during World War I." Immigrant Entrepreneurship. German Historical Institute, 01 Jan. 1970. Web. 04 June 2017.