When the United States made a formal declaration of war on April 6, 1917, Minnesotans answered the call to arms. Duluth, with its strategic location at the head of the Great Lakes, emerged as a major shipbuilding center. Over forty thousand men registered for the draft in Minneapolis alone. Yet many members of the state's large German American population struggled with divided loyalties. A xenophobic fervor swept through the state at an alarming rate, forcing the government to establish a Commission on Public Safety to stifle wartime dissent. With more than fifty period photos and illustrations, author Iric Nathanson brings to life the daily struggles and triumphs of Minnesotans in the Great War.
Iric Nathanson writes and lectures about Minnesota history. His articles have appeared in a variety of publications including Minnesota History, Hennepin History, the Star Tribune and the online daily MinnPost. His 2010 book, Minneapolis in the Twentieth Century, was a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award. The Minneapolis Riverfront, his 2014 book, was published by Arcadia Publishing as part of its Images of America Series.