I just read an interesting article on the history of chinese restaurants in the USA. I was surpised at the fact that the Chinese restaurant business grew as much they did despite the introduction of the Chinese exclusion act.
I did wish it went into more detail of how it maintained throughout one of the toughest times in American history. And more on the Chinese as a whole during that period.
EDIT: I realize that this is not just a historical subject but a current one as well. There is still a pipeline or restaurant workers from Southern China coming to the USA under sponsorship of the restaurant owner.
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/10/13/cooka%C2%80%C2%99s-tale
Americans had a love affair with China during the 1930s and 40s that concomitantly affected their views of the Chinese who lived in America.
Starting in the 1930s, Pearl S. Buck's novel (later turned into a big Hollywood film) The Good Earth provided Americans with a romantic and humanistic portrayal of the Chinese as a noble and good people.
The KMT government of China had been founded by the Christian, American-educated Sun Yat-sen and was perceived by many Americans as trying to create democratic, westernized, pro-business United States of China on the other side of the Pacific Ocean.
After 1937 and the beginning of total war between Japan and China, the Chinese were the only ones in the world standing up to imperial Japan. Americans were compelled by the situation in Asia as well as by politically active Chinese-Americans to boycott Japanese goods, enact trade embargoes, send aide to China, and even go as far as to militarily assist the KMT with fighter pilots and ground crews.
After Pearl Harbor, Chinese were catapulted to the status of allies. Time magazine in particular showered unending praise on the KMT and China even providing Americans with a handy guide to help differentiate between Chinese- and Japanese-Americans.
The image was further bolstered by the elegant Madame Chiang on her whirlwind charm offensive of the USA. Speaking in perfect American-accented English she gathered donation money and convinced congress to enhance aide.
During the war, immigration from China was allowed into America once again and Chinese-Americans were finally granted citizenship.
Source: Chang, Iris. The Chinese in America