Notes on a War

War changes everything, and for a young and developing nation, World War 1 could be considered the rebirth of a nation. The United States of America has always been composed of immigrants. It was, in fact, discovered by explorers searching for new territories for their monarchs. Christopher Columbus was credited with discovering a New World for the Spaniard royals who had commissioned his expertise in exploration and navigation of the seas. Though Native Americans were already living, working, playing, thriving in their own communities, new settlers claimed the land. Thus, the people considered the original settlers of the United States of America are immigrants. By the time the First World War began, a large portion of the United States of America was composed of new immigrants.

Today, when considering minorities in America, especially when thinking of often discriminated-against minorities, one might first think of women, black people, Mexican and Hispanic people, Asian people, Native Americans - people of color. However, during the World War 1 era, any immigrants recently arriving to the United Stated from other countries were often discriminated against and even hated. At the time, the Irish, Italians and especially Germans were very much disliked amongst more long-term established Americans. First-generation immigrants were looked down on as second-class citizens.

The war became a social catalyst. For one, many immigrants had the false belief that if they enlisted in the military, they would automatically become United States citizens. Because of the needfulness of troops, these new immigrants, some of whom did not even speak English, were accepted into the American military. In an effort to create a more effective Armed Forces, the United States enlisted the help of bilingual officers to teach these immigrants to speak English.

Additionally, the government was addressing these immigrants' social needs. The very reasons they risked their lives to come to America - lack of social protection and civil liberties and basic human needs such as food, clothes and shelter - all were provided for them by the military. After all, how can one protect the country from the enemy, both domestic and foreign, if malnourished? 

Meanwhile, on the home front, while foreign soldiers were being indoctrinated into the American language and accepted into a military brotherhood, other often discriminated-against minorities were gaining ground. Women were taking jobs because their men were being drafted into the military. The United States of America called for all men ages 21 and up to register for the draft and be called upon to fight in the war. At that time, the workforce was nearly 100 percent male. Men worked in the secular workforce to provide for their families and households. Women worked in the homes. At this time, out of necessity, women, of all colors, went to work.

Additionally, boys under the age of 21 of all colors went to work to help their families. During the course of all this, these people bonded at work. Troops bonded on the battlefield. Color no longer mattered. Gender no longer mattered. Even social class did not matter. Rich women's sons and fathers and uncles and brothers were dying on the battlefield and bleeding the same red blood as the poor women's sons and fathers and uncles and brothers.

Many - not all but many - realized that minority or majority means nothing when everyone is just trying to survive and live the best they can and grieve for their loved ones when they die and pray for the ones still fighting and work for the ones still there to see off to school and care for and feed. This is why the World War 1 generation is called The Greatest Generation. They learned what everyone else seems to have forgotten. There is only one race: Human. That was the impact of World War 1 on minorities in The United States of America.

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