During World War I, German-Americans were on the receiving end of distrust and suspicion by other Americans due to the development of anti-German sentiment. This widespread feeling, in part a result of conflicts between Germany and America, manifested itself in the form of hate crimes, hypernationalism, and discrimination. Anti-German sentiment, which was diffused widely in wartime propaganda, was seen as patriotic. Because of this, many German-Americans felt the need to prove their allegiance to the United States in order to avoid hostility.