Transcript World War I Home Front

World War I
Home Front
MS. KRALL
Review- Bell Ringer
 Why did the United

States remain neutral?
 Compare packet with
your neighbor



Traditional policy of
staying out of
European affairs
Divided loyalties of
Americans
Lack of preparedness
Financial advantage
April 2, 1917
 Woodrow Wilson asks
for a declaration of War
from Congress.
 Goal was to make the
world safe for Democracy
Rallying Public Opinion
 U.S. had only 120,000
enlisted men and 80,000
National Guardsmen.
 Led to Selective Service
Act of May 1917 which
required all men between
ages of 21-40 (later 1845) to sign up for
military service.
 By November 1918 more
than 24 million men had
registered for the draft.
 Lottery picked 3 million
to serve in war.
Rallying Public Opinion
 Committee of Public
Information-headed by
George Creel. Sent out
over 75,000 men to
deliver speeches (“Four
minute men”) hand out
posters, songs, movies.
The American Creed
 A nation wide essay
contest was held to create
an American creed and to
represent patriotism in
the US.
 William Tyler Page,
former Congressional
Page penned the winning
entry in 1918.
 “I believe in the United States of
America as a government of the
people, by the people, for the
people; whose just powers are
derived from the consent of the
governed, a democracy in a
republic, a sovereign Nation of
many sovereign States; a perfect
union, one and inseparable;
established upon those principles
of freedom, equality, justice, and
humanity for which American
patriots sacrificed their lives and
fortunes.
 I therefore believe it is my duty to
my country to love it, to support its
Constitution, to obey its laws, to
respect its flag, and to defend it
against all enemies.”
Activity
 What does the 1st Amendment say?
 “Congress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech,
or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to
assemble, and to petition the Government for a
redress of grievances.”
 Rephrase it!
During World War I
 Not everyone supported
the war
 Some Unions (IWW) did
not because the
relationship between
govt. and business
 Many had ties to Europe
due to recent
immigration
Restrictions on Free Speech
 However, the
government tried to
suppress antigovernment speech by
passing three acts.
 Sedition Act
 Espionage Act
 Trading with the Enemy
Act.
Espionage Act
 SECTION 3. Whoever, when the United States is at war, shall willfully make or
convey false reports or false statements with intent to interfere with the
operation or success of the military or naval forces of the United States, or to
promote the success of its enemies, or shall willfully make or convey false
reports, or false statements, . . . or incite insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or
refusal of duty, in the military or naval forces of the United States, or shall
willfully obstruct . . . the recruiting or enlistment service of the United States,
or . . . shall willfully utter, print, write, or publish any disloyal, profane,
scurrilous, or abusive language about the form of government of the United
States, or the Constitution of the United States, or the military or naval forces
of the United States . . . or shall willfully display the flag of any foreign enemy,
or shall willfully . . . urge, incite, or advocate any curtailment of production . . .
or advocate, teach, defend, or suggest the doing of any of the acts or things in
this section enumerated and whoever shall by word or act support or favor the
cause of any country with which the United States is at war or by word or act
oppose the cause of the United States therein, shall be punished by a fine of not
more than $10,000 or imprisonment for not more than twenty years…
Sedition Act
 An addition to the Espionage Act
 Made it a crime to “utter, print, write or publish any
disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive language
about the United States' form of government.”
Trading with the Enemy Act
 “Suspension of provisions relating to ally of enemy;
regulation of transactions in foreign exchange of gold
or silver, property transfers, vested interests,
enforcement and penalties”
 “Contracts, mortgages, or pledges against or with
enemy or ally of enemy; abrogation of contracts;
suspension of limitations”
Public Opinion
• Anti-immigrant sentiment:
• wave of nativism strikes country
•German citizens targeted
• Espionage and Sedition Act:
•Much like Alien and Sedition Acts
of 1798
•a person could be fined or jailed for
interfering with war effort or saying
anything disloyal or profane about
gov’t or war effort
•Eugene Debs went to prison for 10
yrs for violating this act
• Schenck v. United States;
•legalizes that certain 1st
amendment rights can be taken
away during times of war and crisis
•upholds Espionage and Sedition
Acts
Securing Homeland Security
 Supreme Court declared
that at certain times the
right to free speech can
be limited if it endangers
public safety in wartime.
(“clear and present
danger” clause.)
Stimulation the War Economy
 Congress imposed a rule that
made any unemployed man
available to go into the war,
which discouraged strikes.
 War industries board- helped
army to be prepared by settling
any possible labor difficulties
that might hamper the war
effort.
 The largest Union (American
Federation of Labor) supported
the war but the IWW
(Industrial Workers of the
World) did not.
Stimulation the War Economy
 Leaders of businesses
supported govt.
regulation, took a pay cut
and became known as
“Dollar a Year Men”
 War was financed
through Liberty Loans
(savings bonds.)
Conservation at Home
 Americans were urged to
conserve materials that
could be used for the war
effort.
 “Heatless, meatless,
wheatless” days.
 Fuel and Food
Administrations created
(Daylight savings Time.)
 “Victory gardens” were
created
Results of the New Organized economy
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Unemployment virtually disappeared.
Expansion of “big government.”
Excessive govt. regulations
Close cooperation between public
and private sectors.
Unprecedented opportunities for disadvantaged groups.
The war affects Americans
 Many German and
Hungarian Americans
faced discrimination.
• Women filled factory
jobs and worked as
nurses for he Army,
Navy, and Coast Guard.
• Led to the 19th
Amendment.
For African Americans
•
Great Migration
•
Movement of African
Americans to the North
•
Able to escape Jim Crow
laws
•
Able to fill jobs left by
soldiers and decreased
immigration
 Those who fought were in
segregated units. Two
fought in combat units
under French command.
369th Regiment (also called
“Hell Fighters” by the
Germans) was one of the few
black regiments that fought
actively in WW I.
Epidemic Breaks Out
 World War brought disease to a
new level
 large groups of people were
exposed to: unsanitary conditions,
close working and living quarters
 poor living conditions at war
 Influenza (flu) outbreak of 1918
spread all over the world
 1/4 of the U.S. fell victim and ½
million died
 as many as 40 million dead
worldwide
 affected US economy—businesses
temporarily closed & cities ran out
of caskets
Over there!

Johnnie get your gun, get you gun, get your
gun,
Take it on the run, on the run, on the run,
Hear them calling you and me;
Every son of Liberty
Hurry right away, no delay, go today,
Make your daddy glad to have had such a lad
Tell your sweetheart not to pine,
To be proud her boy's in line.
Chorus:
Over There, Over There
Send the word, send the word,
Over There
That the Yanks are coming,
The Yanks are coming,
The drums rum tumming everywhere
So prepare,
Say a Prayer
Send the word,
Send the word to beware
We'll be over, we're coming over.
And we won't be back till it's over over there!
Johnnie get your gun, get you gun, get your
gun,
Johnnie show the Hun, you're a Son-of-aGun,
Hoist the flag and let her fly
Like true heros do or die
Pack your little kit, show your grit, do your
bit,
Soldiers to the ranks from the towns and the
tanks,
Make your Mother proud of you and to
Liberty be true.
Welcome Back—Bell Ringer
 What was the principal
Union that did not
support the war?
 What were the three laws
passed by Congress to
limit dissent during the
war?