"Experts in misery"? American consuls in Austria, Jewish refugees and restrictionist immigration policy, 1938-1941

After the annexation of Austria to Greater Germany in March 1938, Jews struggled to emigrate, realizing that the Nazi takeover and the virulent anti-Semitism that emerged would threaten their existence. American consuls stationed in Austria played an integral role in emigration efforts because of their implementation of U.S. immigration policy. Diplomatic papers and documents reveal that American consuls in Austria were shocked by the annexation and ensuing pogroms, and thus, responded humanely to Jewish plight, allowing as many Jews as legally met the restrictions to obtain visas. Consul General John Wiley strongly advocated this humanitarian approach, which continued to be implemented after his departure.A visa applicant's successful emigration relied not only on the policies upheld by the American consul, but also on the help of agencies, access to immigration information, and the applicant's response to the situation. Three agencies were fundamental in facilitating Jewish emigration: American Friends Service Committee, Israelitische Kultusgemeinde Wien [the Jewish community], and Adolf Eichmann's Zentralstelle [Central Office for Jewish Emigration]. These agencies helped assist emigration by providing monetary support or the necessary paperwork. Given that there was no single guaranteed way by which a refugee could emigrate, the refugees' examination of possibilities and gathering of immigration information was critical to successful emigration. Additionally, men and women's varying responses to the urgency of the political situation further complicated the decision to remain or pursue immigration.Four reasons contributed to making Vienna a unique location from which to pursue emigration: Austria's annexation to Germany, the size of the Viennese Jewish community, the implementation of the conveyor-system of receiving immigration documents at the Zentralstelle and the leniency with which American consuls interpreted immigration policy. As a result, two-thirds of all Austrian Jews emigrated from Vienna and found refuge throughout the world. Wiley's humanitarian policies set a precedent which allowed as many Jews as was legally possible to leave, and created a middle ground where American Foreign Service Officers could respond sympathetically without jeopardizing their careers.Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of South Carolina, 2006.School code: 0202

It's About Time

Recent attempts to recalibrate the US-India relationship require a clearer understanding of how this relationship began. To that end, this essay traces the themes characterizing early US-India relations through a rhetorical analysis of Time magazine cover portraits and articles from 1951 to 1962 featuring the first Prime Minister of independent India, Jawaharlal Nehru. Acting as an index of the US administration and partly conveying the attitudes of its editor-in-chief toward India, Time advanced a set of arguments about India\u27s unreliability as a Cold War ally and the essential correctness of the US administration\u27s stance against communist nations and those who eschewed open alignment with the US during the Cold War. Time\u27s coverage formed a narrative arc that admonished India\u27s attempts at friendship with China and Cold War neutrality while vindicating the US cause during this period. I conclude that Cold War themes linger in US news reporting on India, argue for more scholarship on non-Western nations, and suggest that, along with verbal texts, images are rich sources of foreign policy rhetoric

The evolution of the image of China in the United States during the cold war

This article describes the evolution of the image of China in the United States (US) during the Cold War. Aware that China-US bilateral relations have been influenced by periods of conflict and animosity, harmony and détente, the article argues that the image of China has always been embedded in a network of events - birth of the PRC (People's Republic of China [PRC], Korean War, Sino-Soviet alliance) that prevented American public opinion from developing an objective and unbiased picture of the PRC. Since 1950s, China has always been linked to the idea of the 'Yellow Peril'. Moreover, the lack of a direct contact between China and America further thwarted the opportunity of shaping a fair picture of the PRC. Although recognising that during the Cold War American political parties played a significant role in conveying a negative image of China, this article shows how media helped in strengthening Chinese stereotypes among the American public. Analysing all articles published by Time, National Geographic and Readers' Digest from 1949 to 1972, the article highlights both similarities and differences of the way in which these magazines introduced China to their readers. © Sage Publication 2009.link_to_subscribed_fulltex