The Immigrant as Subversive, 1914–1918, A Case Study of the American Poles

During World War I, the Poles in America were a large and recently-arrived community poorly understood by the host society. American authorities became passionately convinced that the Polish community contained a significant number who were, at least potentially, disloyal to the United States and had complex and mysterious links to the belligerent powers. The result was a series of investigations conspicuous for their incompetence and hysteria. It was eloquent testimony to the profound misunderstanding the American government had of the east of Europe during the war, and thereafter.