America Against Immigrants
The end of the First World War marked the beginning of the war between America and immigrants. A decade before the civil war, America had a soft heart on immigrants and had no limitations in the number of immigrants allowed in the country. Americans embraced the fundamental roles of immigrants, especially in providing local labor force. Also, immigrants served with honor in the United States Army during World War I. However, America failed to credit the efforts and patriotism portrayed by immigrants at the end of the war. The emergence of stories of atrocities by immigrants, rise in xenophobia, growing isolationist, and nativist sentiments turned America against immigrants and led to changes in the immigration policy.
Senator Ellison D. Smith’s congressional speech on April 9, 1924, is a suitable source to support the argument. The speech reveals the anger in American people following the rise in immigrant numbers. Besides, the speech reveals that the interest of Americans to raise a pure American culture was at risk because the immigrants occupied a significant proportion of American resources leaving very little for Americans. The source, “Durant Shut the Door,” reveals the differences in isolationist and nativist views, as well as the propagation of stories of atrocities against immigrants in the Senate.
The second source, “Leonard Wood, Americanism (transcript of sound recording), circa 1920,” expounds on the rising xenophobia and separate views that necessitated America to regulate immigration. The source reveals that a country with more than one flag would soon fall. Allowing more immigrants into America would increase the sub-populations, causing them to embrace their initial traditions and the flag. The source asserts that the fear of having different flags in America contributed to the fight against immigration at the end of World War I. Moreover, the source supports the nativist sentiments that America must never fall in conditions of helplessness caused by rising populations of immigrants.
The last source supporting the argument is Jane Addams book, Twenty Years at Hull-House, chapter 11, “Immigrants and Their Children.” The source reveals the differences between Americans and immigrants that would soon cause conflicts. For instance, the chapter reveals that immigrants were keeping their past values and brought them into contact with the native Americans, which contributed to separate isolationist and nativist views. The source reveals differences in cultural practices of different groups of immigrants that would increase xenophobia in America. Therefore, the chapter contains vital information to address separate views and intercultural differences, and how they contributed to America’s war against immigrants at the end of World War I.
