Figure 1.--The United States is a rare country that did not have a core etnic community. It began as English colonies and at the time of the Revolution still had a core English ethnic base. Over the 19th century that ethnic widened, especialy with Germnan immigration and the emncipation of laves. In the late 19th century a huge immigration from many European countries began. European leaders were not sxure what to think of America without a monarchy or a core ethinicity. The European worting class and disadvantaged minorities in contrast had a much more positive view of America, deciding that it was the place to stake their furure. That change ha not altered since the country was founded. When the Germans launched Workd War I by invading Belgium, they dismissed the United States as an irelevanvce -- largeky because of the lack of an ethnic core and a imprtant army. The British in contrast saw it as vital. Americans for the most part wanted no part of the War. When the Germans forced America into the War, Americans commited to the war with an explosion of patriotic fervor.

Modern nationalism began with the French Revolution (1789). The Revolutionary leasers created he first citiizen army since the Roman Republic. And French occupation of other European countrues, stirred nationlist passions throughout the continent By the end of the 19th century, patriotic/ethnic passions were prevalent among perole whi had never before somonstrated nationlist ideas -- threatening the great empires that still dominated much of the continent. There is no doubt that nationalism/patriotism been a two-sided sword. It has been a factor in authoritarian, especially totlitarian societies, marshaling their societies to do great evil. But by the same token. American and British nationslism was a major factor in defeating Imperial Germany during World War II and the Axis powers in World War II. Of course, World War I powerfully changed attitudes toward both war and patriotism. The resulting pacifism/appesemebt/isolationism was a powerful force in the democracies failure to meet the totalitarian challenge during the 1930s. A major difference, especially in World War II, was the totalitarian control of media and education and even undermining the importance of churches and family. In Democratic societies, patriotism was basically an organic societal developoment, not totally controlled and manipulated by a totalitarian government. Of course democratic governments attempted to use patriotism, but did not have the same levers of absolute control available to totalitarian societies. The totalitarians dismissed the wavering policies of the democracies, especially the people'e reluctance to wage war as they the totalitarians moved toward war. They were for the most part astonnished by the fierceness by with the democracies waged war and the degree of public support, once war was forced upon them.

America

Many Britons after being forced to reach a peace settlement with America (1783) did not think the new nation could long endure without a monarchy, seen as a force for stability. At the time America was a great experiment, the world's only democratic republic. This proved not to be the case, but the issue of slavery defied political solution. President Lincoln addressed the question of democratic government during the Civil War in his Gettysburg Address (1863). This was the primary argument against America at the time. Ideas of race gained great currency in the 19th century. Some Europeans in the 19th and early-20th century looked down on America for its mixed ethnic ancestry questioning whether this constituted the basis for a true nation. This idea was most prevalent in Germany, but not exclusively in Germany. American nationalism as it developed was fundamentally different than European nationalism. In this America's critics were essentially correct. There was no monarch as a national symbol. Nor was there a core ethnic group. They proved to be wrong, however, that there was no basis for American nationalism. The United Sates saw itself as a melting pot for a nation of immigrants. The national motto appearing on the Great Seal is e pluribus unum. Out of many, one. A salad bowl might be a more accurate description. American nationalism was rooted not on a common ethnicity, but but belief in a common set of ideals--the Constitution, democracy and the rule of law. Race remained a problem, but the issue of religion was decisively settled by the Bill of Rights in principle if not in detail. Today in the United States the idea of nationalism is under attack as a destructive force. The Democratic Party has come to object to controls on immigration, border enforcement, and the proliferation of sanctuary cities. Many schools have dropped the morning pledge of allegiance . Teachers and textbooks influenced with left-wing ideology have begun to question the idea that America is a noble nation, commonly using carefully selected facts. Among the facts commonly excluded from the debate is the American humanitarian efforts saving millions; the destruction of the great totalitarian powers of the 20th century; the civil rights movement; major advances in the sciences including medical science; the expansion of democracy in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America; and the post World War II economic order that have brought prosperity to a billion poplin just one generation--the greatest expansion of well being in all of human history.

Austria-Hungary

Austria-Hungary was a mult-ethnic empire abd did not have the same national patriotism that we see in other World War I beligerents. The ethnic divide would light the spark that set off World War I and the Austro-Hungrian Empire would be dsroyed by the War. The new nationas thar emerged from the Empire would have a high dgrees of natiinlism, as well as contentuious irredentist movemednts and conentious disagreemnents about the borders largely imposed by the Allies. This was a factor in the growth of Fascism. Another issue was German populations in many of these states, especially Czechoslovakia.

Britain

Nationalism in Europe was at a fever pitch at the time of World War I. This was perhaps less poromounced in Britain than on the continent. British patriotism was tied up with the Empire--a multi ethnic phenomenon which included the self-governing Dominions. Btitain was the one major European country that did not have compulsory conscription laws. As a result, Btitain could only send the small British Expeditionary Force to help stop the German drive through Belgium (1914). The resulting blood-letting fundamentally impacted Bruitish thought `leading go the growth of pacifisn and ultimately Appeasement. The famous Oxford Union, the university undergraduate debating society, passed a motion that made headlines (1933). "This House would not in any circumstances fight for King and Country" (1933). It made headline news at the time: Churchill at the beginning of his Wilderness Years was apauled. It seems to have suggest gthat Britain had lost the will to fight. Of course when the time came, the British fought and contiunued fightuing even when France fell and the Blitz began. Churchill would call it Britain's 'finest hours'.

China

France

Modern natiomnalism is iften said to be born in the French Recolution (1789). There was a new birth of natiianlsim aftr France's defeat on the Franci-Prussian War and the loss of Alsace-Loraine (1870-71). Although still focused on 'elan' the French adrer Sedan werenno longer hoing to take on the Gernans a=gaib by themselves. And by 1914 they had a powerful ally in the Eas--largely thanks to Kaiser Wilhelm II. After the Germans invaded Belgium, the French nmarched off to war The French like the Germams with great enthusism. And the French suffered terrible dfeats at the border (August 1914), before stopping the Germns at the Mrne (September 1914). After a year of terrinle Frnbch arfare, the Germans decided to destroy the French Army at (Verdin). They largely sducceded. After Versun (1916), the French Army was left incaoable of offensive iperations. Only in do so, the Germans also took terrible losses. The impact by the end of the War was a major changes in French patriotism and the rise of pacifism. This would be a factor in the French Army's collapse in World War II (June 1940).

Germany

The Napoleonic invasions stirred Germn nationalism (1800s) and led to inevitable unification of Germany. Germany was finally unified as a esult of the Frabco-Priussian War (1871). Perhaps as a very new nation, mationlist feeling was the strongest in Europe. German nationalism had a stringer Volkish/racist basis than other major powers. And with the growth of German industry, the Germans now had a corresonding greater capacity to express that nationalism--Bismarck's 'Blood abd iron". Success in a series of wars combined with Prussian militarism meant that the Germans were more willing to use war as a means of achieving mationasl goals than other major European countries. And the German people were more willing to acceot this. Defeat in Wotkd War I canme as a great shock to the German people (1918). Not only could they not inderstabd it, but a year kater they were shocked by the humiliation of the Veresailles Treaty. Such termns were what Hermany imposed on other countries, noit what were imposed on Germany. This coimined with the Great Depression brought the xeneophobic, racist NAZIs to power and an expolsion of state directed nationalism. Children as oart of the HItler Youth were inducrinated in nationalist ideas infused with racist ideology. He forged a kargfely bunited nation--'Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Führer'. This was the most hate-filled expression of nationalism in European history. The NAZIs not only wabnted to conquer other countruies, but to murder conquered oeoples in mass. The result were the horros of World War II and the Holocaust. Only decades apart, two German leasers in contrast to the British woyuld ignore the power of the United Startes, pimarily on racist grounds. The Germans believed that america was not a real nation capoable of developong the kind if patriotism capable of withstanding power that could be generated in a real, race-centered nation.

India

Italy

Italy was another new European power, finally united a year before Germany (1860). It was, however, not as economically strong as the other major European powers. In fact parts of Italy (the south) were still almost mediebal. Northern Italy wAs more like the European norm wuith important industries. It was here that Italian nationalism was strongest. The populatuion of the south which had been expoloyed for centuries were less willing to passionalety accept the national leadership. Italy unlike most countries had entered World War I as a matter of choice, pimarily to gain territory. But like other countries suffered terrible lossess. Most Italians felt that their country was unfairly treated at Versailles. This was part of the rise of Mussolini and Fascism. Even after Mussolini and the Fascists after World War I seized power (1923), there was a lack of ethusiastiuc support in the south. Hitler captured the imagination and loyalty of the German people and success iun creating a united nation. Mussolini was much les successful, primarily because of the lack of of patriotic zeal. Not was gthere the degree of racist zeal seen in other Fascist countries. The nationlist fctor can be seen kn the performance of the Italiam Army during World War II. A factor was the degree tob which the German oifficers shared the hardhip of the war wiuth theur men. The Italian officers did not.

Japan

Japan was another new nation. A modern leadershio seined powerat about the sanme time that Germaby abd Italu=y energed--the Meiji Restoration (1869). Japoan at the time was virtually medieval, agricultural country. The Meiji ledership launched a comprehenive effirt to create a moldern state and to industrilize. In a very short period, they defeated both China (1894-95) and Russia (1904-05) in short wars. Les onservable were changed in Jaoanese siciuery. The Jaopnese created a modern public school system and transfotm an apolitical peasabtry into patriotic citizes, loyal subjects to the Emopire and Emperor. Here ghey suceeded spectacularly. Jaoan particuposted on irkd war I, but only marginally. After the War, the Jaoanese military began to seize cintrol of the Government. And they began to indoctrunate the whole population with the Bushido Code, essntizlly teaching civilians to be samuri warriors. The result was the most fanatical population of the War. Japane first seized Mannchuria (1931) and then iknvaed China proper (I1937). They scored victiry anbsfter vbictiey, but was unablke to complete the conquest of the country. Than they took of the incomprensible step of attacking the Inited States which hy saw as necessary to cimplete the xonw]quest of China. This led to aeries of Pacific Island campaigns in which such was their devotion ro the Empire and Emperor, soldiers woukd fight to death rather thsn surrebnder. Civilians would even commit suiside rather thn surrnder. The level okf natuiblist fervir was inconpresiblr to the young Ameticans Marines, silors, and soldiers that had to fight the Pacific War.

Poland

Russia

Created: 3:35 PM 12/29/2021
Last updated: 3:35 PM 12/29/2021