Abstract
Shortly after the United States entered the war in 1917, the American economist and eugenicist Irving Fisher, at a lecture in Portland, Oregon, told the story of a dinner with a young, hale, and hearty student at the University of California. “As a great admirer of health” I thought, “What a wonderful example this man is, what a wonderful physique, what an alert mind, what a fine character.” That is the real tragedy of war, that such fine examples of humanity are to be sacrificed on the European front.
Then this war broke out, having myself studied eugenics, it nearly broke my heart.1
—Irving Fisher, Economist at Yale University
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Copyright information
© 2013 Stefan Kühl
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Kühl, S. (2013). The First World War and Its Effect on International Eugenics. In: For the Betterment of the Race. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137286123_3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137286123_3
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, New York
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-44916-3
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-28612-3
eBook Packages: Palgrave History CollectionHistory (R0)