State Historical Society of Iowa

"Loyalty" - A Speech by the American Ambassador to German Americans, 1918

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Courtesy of Library of Congress, "Loyalty" - A Speech by the American Ambassador to German Americans, 1918

Description

The speech by Ambassador James W. Gerard is a warning to German Americans that "Every citizen must declare himself American -- or traitor!" Gerard, who was the U.S. ambassador to Germany, wrote this in 1918 during World War I to encourage German-American loyalty.

Transcript of Ambassador James Gerald's Speech, "Loyalty"

Source Dependent Questions

  • According to Ambassador James Gerard's speech, the United States has a challenge with its population that no other country participating in the war has to overcome. What was that challenge and how did he plan to overcome it?
  • How did the government use the challenge outlined by the ambassador to support laws that potentially restricted rights of its citizens? How does this speech corroborate the need for the Babel Proclamation?
  • In a time of conflict, was the language and actions outlined in the speech responsible? Provide an explanation using evidence from the text.

Citation Information

Gerald, James W., "Loyalty," 1918. Courtesy of Library of Congress Courtesy of Library of Congress