Immigrants swell US troops in World War I
By Marlene Gantt
via the East Moline, IL Dispatch-Argus newspaper web site
When America entered WWI in 1917, American men between the ages of 15 and 45 were required to register for the draft. This included not only U.S. citizens, but also resident aliens who had filed a declaration of intent to become a citizen.
World War I Helmets with insignia for the 26th Yankee Division on display at the Fort Devins museum.This presented a problem since many had immigrated, in part, to escape the long military service required by many European nations, according to the National Park Service.
“Registrants for the draft who claimed exemption on the ground of being aliens,” said the Daily Dispatch Nov. 18, 1918, “and there were many in this country, will now have a long time in which to ponder the advisability of their claims. Such persons are forever barred from becoming citizens of the U.S.”
Aliens were divided into several classes in consideration under draft regulations. “Subjects of neutral countries who claimed exemption because of being aliens are barred now from citizenship,” said the Dispatch.
Subjects of a neutral country who had declared intention of becoming citizens of the U.S. were given the privilege of withdrawing such declaration. If they did, and claimed exemption because of being aliens, they were barred from citizenship.
A male immigrant who had not yet become an American citizen, a process that normally took at least five years, found he could be drafted into the armed forces of his homeland.
“Some immigrants even volunteered to serve in their native country’s military when war broke out,” said the National Park Service. “More than 500,000 German Americans and some 90,000 Italian Americans left the United States to enlist in the armies of their respective homelands.”
About 500,000 immigrants from 46 nations served in America’s armed forces during WWI, making up 18 percent of the troops. One reason for this is that military service had offered a “fast track” to citizenship since the time of the Civil War.
Read the entire article on the Dispatch-Argus newspaper web site.
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