Americans at the Gate: The United States and Refugees During the Cold War (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780691123325)

Unlike the 1930s, when the United States tragically failed to open its doors to Europeans fleeing Nazism, the country admitted over three million refugees during the Cold War. This dramatic reversal gave rise to intense political and cultural battles, pitting refugee advocates against determined opponents who at times successfully slowed admissions. The first comprehensive historical exploration of American refugee affairs from the midcentury to the present, Americans at the Gate explores the reasons behind the remarkable changes to American refugee policy, laws, and programs.

Carl Bon Tempo looks at the Hungarian, Cuban, and Indochinese refugee crises, and he examines major pieces of legislation, including the Refugee Relief Act and the 1980 Refugee Act. He argues that the American commitment to refugees in the post-1945 era occurred not just because of foreign policy imperatives during the Cold War, but also because of particular domestic developments within the United States such as the Red Scare, the Civil Rights Movement, the rise of the Right, and partisan electoral politics. Using a wide variety of sources and documents, Americans at the Gate considers policy and law developments in connection with the organization and administration of refugee programs.

Author: Carl J. Bon Tempo
ISBN-10: 0691123322
ISBN-13: 9780691123325
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Language: English
Published: 10/05/2008
Pages: 288
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.15lbs
Size: 9.30h x 6.40w x 1.00d

Review Citation(s):
Choice 03/01/2009