To the Line of Fire!: Mexican Texans and World War IWinner of the 2009 Robert A. Calvert Prize In January 1917, German foreign minister Arthur Zimmermann sent a telegram to Germany’s Mexican ambassador, authorizing the offer of U.S. territory in exchange for Mexico’s alliance with Germany in the Great War. After the interception of this communication, U.S. intelligence intensified surveillance of the Mexican American community in Texas and elsewhere, vigilant for signs of subversive activity. Yet, even as this was transpiring, thousands of Tejanos (Mexican Texans) were serving in the American military during the war, with many other citizens of Mexican origin contributing to home front efforts. As author José A. Ramírez demonstrates in To the Line of Fire!, the events of World War I and its aftermath would decisively transform the Tejano community, as war-hardened veterans returned with new, broadened perspectives. They led their people in opposing prejudice and discrimination, founding several civil rights groups and eventually merging them into the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the largest and oldest surviving Hispanic civil rights organization in the United States. Ramírez also shows the diversity of reaction to the war on the part of the Tejano community: While some called enthusiastically for full participation in the war effort, others reacted coolly, or only out of fear of reprisal. Scholarly and general readers in Texas history, military history, and Mexican American studies will be richly rewarded by reading To the Line of Fire! |
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C. A. Brannen: To the Line of Fire!: Mexican Texans and World War I José A. Ramírez Limited preview - 2009 |
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African Americans Allied Ameri American Citizens American Enlisted American Mainstream Anglos April Archives and Records Armijo August Austin border Brownsville Herald Burleson Camp Travis Carranza civil rights Corpus Christi Caller CTCA Dallas Morning declared Demócrata Fronterizo doughboys draft effort Eisenhower ethnic Evolución Laredo exodus February fight forces French German Gonzales González Hispanic Houston Post Ibid Idar immigrant Infantry Joining the American José July June Kornweibel La Prensa Laredo Weekly Laredoan later Latin American Loyalty Loyalty Day LULAC Medal of Honor Mexi Mexican American Mexican descent Mexican Files Mexican Revolution Mexicans and Mexican Mexico México-Americanos Military History National Archives October organized Paso patriotic Plan of San political Post Office Quoted recruits San Antonio Express September served servicemen soldiers Spanish Tejano community Texans Texas Press Texas Rangers thousand tion town training camp translation troops TWRC United University of Texas veterans wartime Wilson World wrote York