How was anti-Semitism promoted in the United States during late 1800s and through World War II?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Suggested Response: In the 1870s, American public school textbooks referred to Jews as "a race," using traditional stereotypes of Jews as greedy, selfish, and manipulating. Jews were described as unethical entrepreneurs who tried to monopolize certain professions and as the devious power behind the throne in many European countries. There was an increase of Jewish immigrants from 1890 to 1914 and the popular press presented them as being unable to assimilate to American ideals. As numbers of Jews began to go to college, many universities established quotes for Jewish enrollment. Henry Ford, a publisher of The Dearborn Independent, printed the text of "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion," which documented the activities of a Jewish conspiracy plotting a revolution to undermine Christian civilization and establish Jewish supremacy throughout the world. Even though this was exposed as a forgery and Ford apologized, the damage had been done. In the 1930s President Franklin Roosevelt appointed a Jew to the Supreme Court, Felix Frankfurter. However, anti-Semitic priest Charles Edward Coughlin attacked the president for communist views and reprinted the "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" despite the evidence of its forgery. His followers, the "Christian Frontier" organization, affixed obscene materials to Jewish businesses or synagogues and even assaulted Jews they chanced to encounter. By the end of World War II 58% of Americans agreed with the statement, "Jews have too much power in the United States". Many newspapers, magazines and movies reinforced the idea that Anti-Semitism was no longer acceptable. Many Americans were still anti-Semitic, but they knew it was inappropriate to act on their feelings.