I only learned in the last few years that I lost a great uncle in the Great War, killed in France in late September, 1918. It also turns out he's buried not far from where I live, alongside his sister, who died a month later due to the flu epidemic. I can only imagine how terrible it must have been for the family during that time. Even in those days, a photo of the deceased could be placed on the tombstones. Hers is in almost pristine condition, but his unfortunately has water damage and the picture has washed away. Fortunately, photos of him in uniform were passed down to my parents so I know what he looked like. The building where his family lived at the time is also still there on W 176th St. Not sure which apartment or how big it was, but they were a family of 7. As I've gotten older, I find myself wishing I'd have asked my grandparents about the family tree. Mostly lost now.
OVERHEARD IN PARK SLOPE
The five-year-old squirmed and screamed,
Annoying his mama a bunch
Until she boiled over and hissed,
"Behave, or no sushi for lunch!"
The five-year-old squirmed and screamed,
Annoying his mama a bunch
Until she boiled over and hissed,
"Behave, or no sushi for lunch!"
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But what does he mean by "the rush to war"?
The war had begun three years earlier, in 1914.
The sinking of the Lusitania occurred in 1915, and provoked many
demands for immediate entrance into the war.
President Wilson's election platform is 1916 had featured "keeping us out of war".
The war had begun three years earlier, in 1914.
The sinking of the Lusitania occurred in 1915, and provoked many
demands for immediate entrance into the war.
President Wilson's election platform is 1916 had featured "keeping us out of war".
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I looked up Mitchel and see that he ignored the basic advice to always lock your seatbelt.
Regarding the city and the Great War, NYC was indeed deeply divided and I was disappointed your brief article didn't even scratch the surface. Recently arrived immigrants had deeply divided loyalties and the city's German population was actually not a particularly important factor there (unlike in parts of the Midwest). Much more significant were the attitudes of the city's large and politically important Irish population. Most of the city's Irish Americans were bitterly opposed to US entry into the war on the side of Great Britain, the brutally suppressed Easter Uprising having occurred just a year before. Italian Americans, by contrast, were generally in favor of US entry into the war (Italy having secured huge and ultimately quite nettlesome territorial concessions from Britain and France for joining the war against Germany and Austria-Hungary). Add to that the conflicted feelings of the city's Jewish population (the US was joining the same side as Russia, the most anti Semitic country involved in the war, but Russia's total collapse and the Balfour Declaration would sway Jewish opinion strongly in favor of US involvement in the war) and its Polish American population (who would become enthusiastic supporters of the American war effort as Russia dropped out and as Wilson's 14 Points promised the rebirth of an independent Poland) and you have quite a story.
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Jonathan Rice makes important points, but not to be overlooked are three additional factors:
1. The German Kaiser ran a sophisticated propaganda effort in the States (as did the British) and promoted Irish issues in the popular publication of that time known as the Fatherland.
2. William Randolph Hearst and his newspaper empire, were aligned with the Germans until Wilson and George Creel along with the Bureau of Investigation pressured Hearst to embrace the Allied cause.
3. President Wilson ran in 1916 on the premise that he would bring "Peace with Honor" and "preparedness plus prosperity" was part of that promise. His SOS, Williams Jennings Bryant was strongly opposed to direct engagement, and submitted his resignation after Wilson won reelection and it became evident to Bryant that Wilson was gearing up for war.
New York State at the time of the 1920 census was the only state in the United States where over 50% of its citizens were born elsewhere. And most voters in NYC were at most two generations removed from the immigrant experience. (NYC's population undoubtedly skewed the state's statistics as it continues to do to this day).
1. The German Kaiser ran a sophisticated propaganda effort in the States (as did the British) and promoted Irish issues in the popular publication of that time known as the Fatherland.
2. William Randolph Hearst and his newspaper empire, were aligned with the Germans until Wilson and George Creel along with the Bureau of Investigation pressured Hearst to embrace the Allied cause.
3. President Wilson ran in 1916 on the premise that he would bring "Peace with Honor" and "preparedness plus prosperity" was part of that promise. His SOS, Williams Jennings Bryant was strongly opposed to direct engagement, and submitted his resignation after Wilson won reelection and it became evident to Bryant that Wilson was gearing up for war.
New York State at the time of the 1920 census was the only state in the United States where over 50% of its citizens were born elsewhere. And most voters in NYC were at most two generations removed from the immigrant experience. (NYC's population undoubtedly skewed the state's statistics as it continues to do to this day).
Troll hair--exactly!
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Both my grandfather and great uncle, first generation German-Americans from the Bronx, fought in WW I. They were very eager to show that they were Americans now. My great grandfather, a doctor born in Germany, festooned his home with American flags to show which side he was on.
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By clicking on the link, we even got a visual with today's hair forecast! Made me smile. Bravo!!!
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Jonathan...Love your hair forecast...made me laugh!
Freddie, I love your musical meaderings!
Freddie, I love your musical meaderings!
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John Puroy Mitchel, began his career young, as a fair haired, aggressive police reformer. By 1917 when he was running against Tammany Hall's designee, the affable train engineer and upstate farmer, John Hylan, and the fiery Bronx Socialist, John Hilliquit, Mitchel had squarely bought into the hawkish views of Bull Moose Party Candidate, and mentor, Theodore Roosevelt. Mitchel accused Hylan of being a German agent - and pro-German. Mitchel oversold his patriotism to a city that was largely skeptical of the necessity of engaging "over there." In a three-way split Hylan won a clear majority.
Mitchel enlisted in the U.S. Army where he immediately pushed to become a fighter pilot. He died before ever reaching the battlefront. He fell out of his plane while flying upside down in a training flight. He had forgotten to fasten his seat-belt!! Those were the days of the open cockpit.
There is a bronze bust of John P. Mitchel at the 91st Street Gate entrance ("Runner's Gate) of Central Park.
Mitchel enlisted in the U.S. Army where he immediately pushed to become a fighter pilot. He died before ever reaching the battlefront. He fell out of his plane while flying upside down in a training flight. He had forgotten to fasten his seat-belt!! Those were the days of the open cockpit.
There is a bronze bust of John P. Mitchel at the 91st Street Gate entrance ("Runner's Gate) of Central Park.
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Mayor Mitchel lost his bid for reelection and joined the Air Corps. While on a training flight his plane turned over and, as he had forgotten to put on his seat belt, he fell out and was killed.
Another NYC mayor had better luck as a WWI aviator. Fiorello LaGuardia commanded the U.S. Air Corps in Italy.
Both got air fields named after them: Mitchel Field on Long Island and you know what in Queens.
Another NYC mayor had better luck as a WWI aviator. Fiorello LaGuardia commanded the U.S. Air Corps in Italy.
Both got air fields named after them: Mitchel Field on Long Island and you know what in Queens.
4
Interested in how our government supported and promoted participation in the Great War - see the new "Posters and Patriotism" exhibition at the Museum of the City of New York.
3
Regarding the "And Finally" section on MetroCard ridership lessons, to the tune of a classic from (of course) The Tokens -
Tune of The Lion Sleeps Tonight
Whee ee ee ee! Whee ee ee ee! We are on our way (2x)
In the Jungle, the Concrete Jungle
The riders swipe all night
In the Jungle, the busy jungle
The riders swipe all night (Yup Yup)
Whee ee ee ee see us swipe away!
Ee ee ee ee it's like we don't have to pay!
From the Village up to the Cloisters
The riders play at night
Then they scurry to all the boroughs
And sleep until it's light (yup yup)
(4x)
They dream away, they dream away
They dream away, they dream away
Whee ee ee ee see us swipe away
Whee ee ee ee it's just like we don't have to pay
Whee ee ee ee
Whee ee ee ee
Weekend's on the way
Whee ee ee ee
Whee ee ee ee
Weekend's on the way
Tune of The Lion Sleeps Tonight
Whee ee ee ee! Whee ee ee ee! We are on our way (2x)
In the Jungle, the Concrete Jungle
The riders swipe all night
In the Jungle, the busy jungle
The riders swipe all night (Yup Yup)
Whee ee ee ee see us swipe away!
Ee ee ee ee it's like we don't have to pay!
From the Village up to the Cloisters
The riders play at night
Then they scurry to all the boroughs
And sleep until it's light (yup yup)
(4x)
They dream away, they dream away
They dream away, they dream away
Whee ee ee ee see us swipe away
Whee ee ee ee it's just like we don't have to pay
Whee ee ee ee
Whee ee ee ee
Weekend's on the way
Whee ee ee ee
Whee ee ee ee
Weekend's on the way
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Outstanding once again Freddie! Clearly this soggy weather has not infiltrated your wonderful creative brain ;-)
10
right? Freddie is amazing! & fun
10
Hear, hear!
1
On this 100th anniversary of our entry into the First World War, it is my hope that we as a people will remember to be tolerant, yet vigilant; to be fair and just and to remember that there an enormous responsibility for being a nation whose very presence is a peacekeeping tool to many unstable nations around the world. History often repeats itself and in these troubling times it is imperative that we not particular moment of history happen again. Rest In Peace to all who served in "The Great War".
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