A frequent "anti-Semitic canard" is one that claims Jews are, more often than not, less loyal to the countries in which they live than the average citizen, that they divide their loyalties between their country of residence and international Jewry/Israel. Of course Jews claim universally that this "canard" constitutes anti-Semitism, so let's examine the numbers for the larger wars in which the U.S.A. have* fought, rather than dismiss the issue outright as Jews and those afraid of Jewish political power tend to do.

Note: these numbers are all estimates, and it is impossible to get hard numbers, so none of this should be taken as gospel. We're not looking for gospel though, just a starting point from which to approach the issue. Something like this deserves a book of its own to be treated properly (don't hold your breath waiting). This page is a work in progress, and I'll add new figures as I become aware of them and time permits. I welcome any additional sources that readers might wish to provide.

* yes, this is grammatically correct.

Civil War

Sources:

	Population (millions)	Enlisted (thousands)	Jews Enlisted	Percent Jewish
Union	26.2	2,803.3	8,500	0.30
Confederacy	8.1	1,064.2	10,000	0.93
Combined	34.3	3,867.5	18,500	0.48

Since I have no information regarding the Jewish population of the U.S.A. at the time, or Jewish casualties in this war, I can only point out the disparity in the rate of service between Union and Confederacy. I am not among those who list slavery as a primary cause of the War Between the States, but I would be remiss if I did not mention the possible connection between this disparity and the Jewish connection to the slave trade that is observable throughout history, and alleged by White Nationalists with regard to slavery's history in the U.S.A. This is not to say that Jews flocked to the Confederacy's banner in support of slavery, but rather that Jews were perhaps already present in the southern states in disproportionate numbers or invested disproportionately in the Confederate power structure because of the slave trade.

World War I

Sources:

	Population (millions)	Percent of Population	Enrolled (thousands)	Percent of Total Enrolled	Rate of Enrollment (%)	Dead	Death Rate (%)	Percent of Dead
Total	102.8	100	4,743.8	100	4.6	116,708	2.46	100
Jewish	3.38	3.28	250	5.27	7.4	3,500	1.4	3

The upshot of all this is that Jews did serve in positive disproportion relative to their share of the population of the U.S.A., but they died in negative disproportion both in terms of their share of the population and their share of enrolled soldiers. Perhaps this sort of thing was best explained by Hitler in Mein Kampf:

the general mood was miserable: to be a slacker passed almost as a sign of higher wisdom, while loyal steadfastness was considered a symptom of inner weakness and narrow-mindedness. The offices were filled with Jews. Nearly every clerk was a Jew and nearly every Jew was a clerk. I was amazed at this plethora of warriors of the chosen people and could not help but compare them with their rare representatives at the front. [1]

I mustn't forget the tiresomely obligatory disclaimer: I'm not a National Socialist, or a Hitler-worshipper - or a Hitler-hater for that matter - nor does one have to be to quote Hitler or to believe his thinking correct on any given issue.

World War II

Sources:

	Population (millions)	Percent of Population	Enrolled (thousands)	Percent of Total Enrolled	Rate of Enrollment (%)	Dead	Death Rate (%)	Percent of Dead
Total	133.5	100	16,353.7	100	12.2	407,316	2.5	100
Jewish	4.5	3.37	550	3.36	12.2	11,000	2	2.7

The numbers here speak for themselves, but I'll point out a few salient facts: Jews enlisted at rates nearly identical to the general population; the Jewish percentage of the population and the Jewish percentage of enrolled soldiers were virtually identical; 2.5% of all enrolled soldiers died, and 2% of all enrolled Jews died; while 3.36% of American Jewry was enrolled, 2.7% of the dead were Jews.

It should be obvious to even the most benighted that if ever there was an American war of interest to Jews, it was WW II. In fact, it's common for today's MTV youth to believe that WW II was fought primarily to save European Jewry!

Korean War

Sources:

	Population (millions)	Percent of Population	Enrolled (thousands)	Percent of Total Enrolled	Rate of Enrollment (%)	Dead	Death Rate (%)	Percent of Dead
Total	151.7	100	5,764.1	100	3.8	33,651	0.58	100
Jewish	4.75	3.1	150	2.6	3.1	n/a	n/a	n/a

Vietnam War

Sources:

	Population (millions)	Percent of Population	Enrolled (thousands)	Percent of Total Enrolled	Rate of Enrollment (%)	Dead	Death Rate (%)	Percent of Dead
Total	204.9	100	8,744	100	4.3	58,168	0.66	100
Jewish	5.75	2.8	30	0.34	0.52	n/a	n/a	n/a

Gulf War I

Sources:

	Population (millions)	Percent of Population	Enrolled (thousands)	Percent of Total Enrolled	Rate of Enrollment (%)	Dead	Death Rate (%)	Percent of Dead
Total	260	100	2,750	100	1	293	0.01	100
Jewish	5.83	2.2	10	0.36	0.17	n/a	n/a	n/a

Gulf War II

 

Sources:

	Population (millions)	Percent of Population	Enrolled (thousands)	Percent of Total Enrolled	Rate of Enrollment (%)	Dead	Death Rate (%)	Percent of Dead
Total	293.7	100	1,400*	100	0.5	871	0.06	100
Jewish	6.15	2	6**	0.42	0.1	n/a	n/a	n/a

* active duty.
** average of estimates, may include non-active personnel.

Sources:

The United States Civil War Center at Louisiana State University:
Statistical Summary [of] America's Major Wars

U.S. Census Bureau:
U.S. Armed Forces and Veterans

Equal Opportunity Office at Fort Gordon, Georgia:
Jewish-American military participation

Jewish War Veterans of the United States:
On this Memorial Day, let us also remember our Jewish veterans

Forward (America's foremost Jewish newspaper):
Jewish Military Families Finding A Virtual Home On 'The Brave'

Jewish Telegraph Agency:
Virtual community links Jews in the military, and their families

Jewish Virtual Library
Jewish Population of the United States