Immigrant Heroes of World War I

When he was 17, Antonio Pierro left his small town in Southern Italy and boarded an ocean liner bound for Ellis Island, the immigration station off the coast of New York City. It was 1913, and Pierro hoped to make a better life for himself in the United States. After arriving, he took the first job he could get, as a gardener on an estate in Swampscott, Massachusetts.

But five years later, Pierro found himself on a ship sailing back toward where he’d come from—this time donning the uniform of the U.S. Army. He was crossing the Atlantic to France to fight for the U.S. in World War I (1914-18).

Pierro later described his patriotic decision to answer the call for his new country: “I wasn’t afraid I’d get killed,” he said in an interview in 2006. “I’d go through anything.”

When he was 17, Antonio Pierro left his small town in Southern Italy. He then boarded a ship bound for Ellis Island, the immigration station off the coast of New York City.

It was 1913, and Pierro hoped to make a better life for himself in the United States. After arriving, he took the first job he could get, as a gardener on an estate in Swampscott, Massachusetts.

But five years later, Pierro found himself on a ship sailing back toward his home. This time he wore the uniform of the U.S. Army. He was crossing the Atlantic to France to fight for the U.S. in World War I (1914-18).

Pierro later described his patriotic decision to answer the call for his new country: “I wasn’t afraid I’d get killed,” he said in an interview in 2006. “I’d go through anything.”

World War I was so massive, people referred to it simply as the Great War. It began in 1914 as a fight for domination between two groups of European nations: the Allied Powers—led by Russia, France, and the U.K.—and the Central Powers, headed by Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire, centered in what is now Turkey (see timeline slideshow, below). By the time the last shots echoed four years later, about 20 million people—both soldiers and civilians—had been killed, making it the deadliest war up to that point in history.

When the war erupted, America was undergoing its own massive change. Between 1880 and 1910, 17 million immigrants had arrived in the U.S. While earlier newcomers had largely come from Britain, Ireland, and Germany, most of the immigrants at that time were from Eastern, Central, and Southern Europe. They transformed cities across the nation, bringing new languages, cultures, and traditions. But they also faced discrimination and xenophobia.

Anti-immigrant attitudes grew more intense as World War I raged overseas. Many native-born Americans questioned the loyalty of people who had only recently arrived, especially those from the European countries now fighting America’s allies.

“There are citizens of the United States, I blush to admit, born under other flags … who have poured the poison of disloyalty into the very arteries of our national life,” President Woodrow Wilson declared in a speech in 1916, adding that “such creatures … must be crushed out.”

But immigrants would prove critical to America’s success in the war. Though Wilson had pledged the U.S. to neutrality, the nation entered the fight in 1917. The U.S. military was tiny at that time compared with those of the European superpowers. The U.S. armed forces consisted of only about 200,000 men, while some European armies numbered in the millions. So in June of that year, Congress authorized a draft. Immigrants made up about 14 percent of the U.S. population. But many native-born Americans wondered whether those newcomers would fight for the U.S.—and whether they could even be trained for combat. About half a million foreign-born soldiers would end up proving those doubters wrong.

World War I was so massive, people referred to it simply as the Great War. It began in 1914 as a fight for control between two groups of European nations: the Allied Powers and the Central Powers. Russia, France, and the U.K. led the Allied Powers. Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire—centered in what is now Turkey—led the Central Powers (see slidshow timeline, below). By the time the last shots echoed four years later, about 20 million people had been killed. Among them were both soldiers and civilians. In the end, it was the deadliest war up to that point in history.

When the war erupted, America was undergoing a huge shift. Between 1880 and 1910, 17 million immigrants had arrived in the U.S. Earlier newcomers had largely come from Britain, Ireland, and Germany. But most of the immigrants at that time were from Eastern, Central, and Southern Europe. They transformed cities across the nation. They brought new languages, cultures, and traditions. But they also faced discrimination and xenophobia.

Anti-immigrant attitudes grew more intense as World War I raged overseas. Many native-born Americans questioned the loyalty of people who had only recently arrived. They were especially skeptical of people from the European countries fighting America’s allies.

“There are citizens of the United States, I blush to admit, born under other flags … who have poured the poison of disloyalty into the very arteries of our national life,” President Woodrow Wilson declared in a speech in 1916, adding that “such creatures … must be crushed out.”

But immigrants would prove key to America’s success in the war. Though Wilson had pledged the U.S. to remain neutral, the nation entered the fight in 1917. The U.S. military was tiny at that time compared with those of the European superpowers. The U.S. armed forces consisted of only about 200,000 men. Some European armies numbered in the millions. So in June of that year, Congress authorized a draft. Immigrants made up about 14 percent of the U.S. population. But many native-born Americans wondered whether those newcomers would fight for the U.S. They also questioned whether these immigrants could even be trained for combat. About half a million foreign-born soldiers would end up proving those doubters wrong.

Pierro wasn’t yet an American citizen when he received his draft notice in 1917. Though he was given the opportunity to fight for Italy instead, he reported to Camp Gordon, an army base in Georgia that was home to the 82nd Division. The division included soldiers from every state, earning the nickname the All-American Division.

White and Black soldiers were segregated during World War I. But when it came to European immigrants, Camp Gordon was a melting pot. This presented a challenge, though: Most of the recruits there couldn’t speak English. Pierro himself spoke little of it.

The War Department established English language classes to help “Americanize” immigrants at Camp Gordon. The program was soon replicated at 15 other Army camps across the country.

For many immigrants used to living and working in tight-knit communities with people of their same nationality, military training was their first integration into mainstream American society. They were fighting not just for their new country but for belonging as well. In 1918, the U.S. promised immediate citizenship to any foreign-born soldiers. A new life would await them back on the home front—that is, of course, if they came home alive.

Pierro wasn’t yet an American citizen when he received his draft notice in 1917. He was given the opportunity to fight for Italy instead. Still, he reported to Camp Gordon, an Army base in Georgia that was home to the 82nd Division. The division included soldiers from every state, earning the nickname the All-American Division.

White and Black soldiers were kept separate during World War I. But when it came to European immigrants, Camp Gordon was a melting pot. This presented a challenge. Most of the recruits there couldn’t speak English. Pierro himself spoke little of it.

The War Department set up English language classes to help “Americanize” immigrants at Camp Gordon. The program was soon copied at 15 other Army camps across the country.

Many immigrants were used to living and working in tight-knit communities with people of their same nationality. For them, military training was their first chance to become part of mainstream American society. They were fighting not just for their new country but for belonging as well. In 1918, the U.S. promised immediate citizenship to any foreign-born soldiers. A new life would await them back on the home front. That is if they came home alive.

In October 1918, Pierro and the All-American Division were thrust to the front lines of the largest U.S. military offensive ever. U.S. forces attacked German troops in the Argonne region of France, aiming to capture a network of German railroads. Pierro and his comrades came under heavy fire from machine guns, and barbed wire tore through their skin. But the assault was one of the key battles that led to the end of the war.

Pierro survived the six-week Meuse-Argonne offensive. More than 26,000 American soldiers weren’t so lucky, making it one of the deadliest military encounters in American history.

“A lot of fellas, they lost an arm, a leg,” Pierro later recalled. “Thank God, I came out alive.”

The battlefield bravery of Pierro and other foreign-born soldiers altered many of their native-born comrades’ views about immigrants. In the trenches, all that seemed to matter was the flag of the country on one’s uniform.

“The last six months of my life in the army, living and suffering with these fellows,” a native-born New York soldier wrote in a letter to his mother from the front, “has done more for me to get rid of race-prejudice than anything else could have done.”

Back on the home front, many immigrant communities began to gain new acceptance as foreign-born soldiers fought and died alongside native-born Americans. Hoping to unite people of all backgrounds, President Wilson dedicated July 4, 1918, to immigrants. Unfortunately, that acceptance would be short-lived.

In October 1918, Pierro and the All-American Division were put on the front lines of the largest U.S. military attack ever. U.S. forces attacked German troops in the Argonne region of France. The U.S. aimed to capture a network of German railroads. Pierro and his comrades came under heavy fire from machine guns. Barbed wire tore through their skin. But the assault was one of the key battles that led to the end of the war.

Pierro survived the six-week Meuse-Argonne battle. More than 26,000 American soldiers weren’t so lucky. In fact, it‘s one of the deadliest military encounters in American history.

“A lot of fellas, they lost an arm, a leg,” Pierro later recalled. “Thank God, I came out alive.”

The battlefield bravery of Pierro and other foreign-born soldiers changed many of their native-born comrades’ views about immigrants. In the trenches, all that seemed to matter was the flag of the country on one’s uniform.

“The last six months of my life in the army, living and suffering with these fellows,” a native-born New York soldier wrote in a letter to his mother from the front, “has done more for me to get rid of race-prejudice than anything else could have done.”

Back on the home front, many immigrant communities began to gain new acceptance as foreign-born soldiers fought and died alongside native-born Americans. President Wilson hoped to unite people of all backgrounds. As a result, he dedicated July 4, 1918, to immigrants. Unfortunately, that acceptance would be short-lived.

Celebrations broke out all over the globe on November 11, 1918. The Great War was finally over, after Germany, the last of the Central Powers, agreed to a peace settlement. When the cease-fire order reached Pierro and his fellow troops, still battling on the front in Argonne, he couldn’t believe it.

“It was just like a new day,” he remembered, “just like the sun had come out of the clouds.”

He returned to Massachusetts, where he got married and went to work at an auto body shop and later a power plant. He was one of more than 300,000 soldiers and veterans of World War I who became U.S. citizens.

But though so many immigrant soldiers had fought bravely for the U.S., the nation they returned to soon became even more closed off to foreigners.

Celebrations broke out all over the globe on November 11, 1918. The Great War was finally over, after Germany, the last of the Central Powers, agreed to a peace settlement. Pierro and his fellow troops were still battling on the front in Argonne. When the cease-fire order reached them, he couldn’t believe it.

“It was just like a new day,” he remembered, “just like the sun had come out of the clouds.”

He returned to Massachusetts, where he got married and went to work at an auto body shop and later a power plant. He was one of more than 300,000 soldiers and veterans of World War I who became U.S. citizens.

Many immigrant soldiers had fought bravely for the U.S. But the nation they returned to soon became even more closed off to foreigners.

“That era of seeming acceptance and breaking down of barriers,” says Laskin, the author, “did not continue, and there was a backlash.”

The first Red Scare was gripping the country. The Russian Revolution had given rise to the Communist party, and American labor strikes were increasing. Fears spread about the perceived threat of Communists in the U.S. Neighbors turned against neighbors in what amounted to a modern witch hunt, and the U.S. government targeted immigrants and “radicals” it deemed threats, imprisoning and deporting thousands—often without much, or any, proof.

In the 1920s, Congress also imposed quotas that sharply reduced the number of immigrants and gave preference to Northern Europeans to re-create the ethnic profile of early 19th-century America. As intended, these quotas worked against Southern and Eastern Europeans—until they were revised in 1965.

“That era of seeming acceptance and breaking down of barriers,” says Laskin, the author, “did not continue, and there was a backlash.”

The first Red Scare was gripping the country. The Russian Revolution had given rise to the Communist party. At the same time, American labor strikes were increasing. Fears spread about the perceived threat of Communists in the U.S. Neighbors turned against neighbors in what led to a modern witch hunt. And the U.S. government targeted immigrants and “radicals” it labeled as threats. Thousands were imprisoned and deported, and often without much, or any, proof.

In the 1920s, Congress also put in place quotas that sharply reduced the number of immigrants. Congress gave preference to Northern Europeans. It was a move that aimed to re-create the ethnic profile of early 19th-century America. As intended, these quotas worked against Southern and Eastern Europeans until they were changed in 1965.

Still, many foreign-born veterans of the Great War looked back on their service with pride. Today, with the opening of the National World War I memorial, the hope is that more people will learn their stories and those of other groups of people who risked their lives—and in many cases lost them—for this country.

“You cannot understand our country or the world we live in without understanding World War I,” Edwin Fountain, the former vice chairman of the World War I Centennial Commission, said at the memorial’s opening ceremony this past spring. “The debates we have today about the roles of women and African Americans and immigrants in our society, about the role of America in the world … are but echoes of debates we had 100 years ago.”

Still, many foreign-born veterans of the Great War looked back on their service with pride. Today, with the opening of the National World War I memorial, the hope is that more people will learn their stories and those of other groups of people who risked their lives. In many cases, these soldiers lost their lives for this country.

“You cannot understand our country or the world we live in without understanding World War I,” Edwin Fountain, the former vice chairman of the World War I Centennial Commission, said at the memorial’s opening ceremony this past spring. “The debates we have today about the roles of women and African Americans and immigrants in our society, about the role of America in the world … are but echoes of debates we had 100 years ago.”