The Home Front during WWI

1917 Selective Service Act 24,000,000 men registered for the draft by the end of 1918 4,800,000 men served in WWI (2,000,000 saw active combat) 400,000 African-Americans served in segregated units 15,000 Native-Americans served as scouts, messengers, and snipers in non-segregated units Selective Service Act of 1917 required all men between 21 and 30 to register for the draft. A lottery randomly determined the order they were called before a local draft board in charge of selecting or exempting people from military service. Progressives believed civilians in local communities made best decisions about which men to draft African Americans served in segregated units often under the direct supervision of white officers. 92nd and 93rd infantry divisions fought in bitter battles along the Western Front, and the 369th infantry division won the highly prized French decoration, the Criox de Guerre (war cross)

Mobilization Gathering of resources and the preparation for war affected every part of American life National War Labor Board Created to ensure the most basic demands of workers were met so production for war went unaffected 8 Hour working day Overtime pay Equal pay for women

Opportunities for African Americans during WWI War industries work The Great Migration 1914-1920 300,000-500,000 African American moved to Northern cities from the rural South to find job in factories Enlistment in segregated units

The Role of Women in WWI Women in the military Army sent 30,00 women overseas as nurses Navy employed women in clerical positions

Producing Supplies Government encouraged farmers to produce more and civilians to eat less Food Administration Encouraged voluntary rationing War Industries Board Managed factories in transition

Food Administration “Wheatless Mondays” “Meatless Tuesdays” “Porkless Thursdays” · Food: Americans learned to conserve food for the soldiers.

The government standardized the size of loaves of bread made by bakeries. Only bread baked with the exact percentage of substitute ingredients as required by the food laws could be called “victory bread”

“V” is for Victory (Garden that is!) In order to support the troops “victory gardens” were grown by people throughout the nation.

Fuel Administration

Committee on Public Information

Controlling Public Opinion Even after American entered the war, opposition to it remained strong Committee on Public Information Began trying to scilence war disagreement or opposition

Espionage Act – 1917 - forbade actions that obstructed recruitment or efforts to promote insubordination in the military. - ordered the Postmaster General to remove Leftist materials from the mail. - fines of up to $10,000 and/or up to 20 years in prison.

How far are YOU willing to go for your country? Sedition Act – 1918 - it was a crime to speak against the purchase of war bonds or willfully utter, print, write or publish any disloyal, profane, or abusive language about this form of US Govt., the US Constitution, or the US armed forces or to willfully urge, incite, or advocate any curtailment of production of things necessary or essential to the prosecution of the war…with intent of such curtailment to cripple or hinder the US in the prosecution of the war.

European Home Front Total war Warfare that includes any and all civilian associated resources and infrastructure as legitimate military targets Young men removed from production jobs to serve in military roles Men left farms for the front thus food production fell German soldiers as young as 15