Immigrants In War

Around the time of World War I, the United States shifted its focus from its home soil to that of foreign land. War calls for constant flow of funding and what easier place to get it than of patriotic citizens that had nationalism flowing through their blood. A poster that was created in 1917 clearly portrayed the government's need for money and how they saw that everyone, even immigrants, should take part in the purchasing of bonds. Sources such as those depicting immigrants and their feelings prior to war greatly contradicted the views of the U.S. government during the war. Immigrants, especially Chinese, were treated poorly and with great indifference up until the war started and the government pleaded for U.S. citizens to buy war bonds.
Pun Chi, a Chinese merchant that migrated to the U.S. in the late 1800’s, wrote about the atrocities in Americans against the Chinese in San Francisco, California. In summary, he made a case against the severe treatment, sufferings, bias, and persecution of immigrants. Chi explains
Especially in the west, the Chinese were constantly demeaned and scrutinized with fatal riots and discriminate laws. The ad says “The Chinese Must Go!” and pleads for a certain coroner to become the mayor of San Francisco. Although this was posted along the west coast, all the way to the east coast surged with anti-immigrant sentiments up until the first World War. The poster about immigrants and how they should purchase war bonds was just a front for those who were new or knew little of the past. The deeper into history and feelings immigrants had, a realization quickly makes itself known. All the U.S. saw the immigrants were good for was to participate in industrial production, and during the war, purchase war bonds. The ad described them as a “curse” and nevertheless, the curse of racism in America was set aside during the time of