The Rhetoric of Patriotism and the Nationalization of Italian Immigrants in the United States

The essay investigates the influence of the patriotic discourse surrounding World War I on the identity of Italian newcomers in the United States. Specifically, it examines how nationalistic rhetoric helped immigrants supersede campanilismo and develop a sense of belonging based on their mutual Italian background. Italian immigrants from different geographical backgrounds generally failed to perceive themselves as members of the same nationality group upon arrival in the United States at the turn of the twentieth century. Most defined themselves by their association with the native villages rather than with the country of origin. Yet the spread of jingoistic feelings after the outbreak of World War I contributed to the demise of localistic allegiances. As their ethnic leaders and press hailed Italy's declaration of war on Austria in 1915 with bombastic overtones and mobilized to back her military machinery, many Italian newcomers realized that they had something in common notwithstanding their diverse birthplaces. Moreover, as soon as the United States entered the conflict at the side of Italy against Germany in 1917, after being the victims of ethnic discrimination in their host society, they became aware that their national ancestry was no longer a stigma from which they had to distance themselves. Italian Americans were so heartened that they felt free to show their loyalty to Italy and to advance her interests. They pressured the U.S. government into declaring war on Austria, too. Furthermore, besides giving vent to enthusiasm for Italy’s eventual victory, they lobbied for the extension of the Italian sovereignty over Fiume at the peace conference in Paris.