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, Gerald, James. W., "Loyalty," 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 is it and how does he plan to overcome it?
  • Using evidence from the speech, explain how Americans can prove their loyalty according to Ambassador Gerard.
  • In a time of conflict, is this type of language in a speech responsible? Provide an explanation using evidence from the text.

Citation Information