YYA > Pre WWI, when it was easier to immigrate to the USA, the matzav in most parts of Jewish Europe wasn’t as bad.
A good point. While WW1 was a calamity, it was an event that passed. Russian revolution in 1917-18 was the turning point in Eastern Europe – and another several years to understand that this is a long-term change and not another calamity.
Before WW1 there was still the same question we are discussing here – whether to embrace or oppose modernity. At that time, the score was very much negative – most of efforts to embrace were not successful. The choice was stark – stay poor and observant in Russian Poland or become affluent and assimilate in America. Of course, when Jews ended up in America, they started fixing the problem – whether R Soloveitchik way or R Kotler’s way, what all these efforts had in common – strengthening community in American environment. This seems to be repeating the pattern of Yaakov – reluctant to go to Mitzrayim until forced and then, al pi midrash, sending Yehudah to establish yeshiva. Hashem, of course, started preparing earlier – by sending Yosef there. Ideally, of course, rabonim would be sending students to America early on to establish institutions. Chofetz Chaim had some vision – he writes a book for such emigrants – Nidchei Yisroel.
Again, this shows that Jews are not perfect in responding to historical events and we all should try to contribute to search for solutions.