War on the Home front

Raising an Army Although many young men volunteered for military service after war was declared on Germany it was not enough to fulfill the need of the army. In May of 1917 Congress passed the Selective Service Act which required all men between 21-30 to register for the military draft. In a draft the government requires men to serve in the military. By the end of the war nearly 3 million men would be drafted. 1,2

Mobilizing the Economy The war greatly increased the demands on American industries. Suddenly there was a need for millions of rifles, socks, uniforms, boots and many other products used by the military. To oversee wartime production the government set up the War Industries Board (WIB). The WIB told industries what to produce, how much to charge and how to use resources. 3

Please click on the video to play. Supporting the War Please click on the video to play. 4

Paying for the War Wars are expensive…and World War I was no different. To help finance (pay for) the war the government issued Liberty Bonds. Liberty Bonds were bonds people bought to make a temporary loan to the government to help pay for the war. 5

Public Support for the War The U.S. government used propaganda to gain public support for the war. Propaganda is anything created for the purpose of influencing someone. 6

Women and the War The war opened up jobs for women. Women replaced male workers in steel mills, ammunition factories and assembly lines. Women’s contribution during the war helped them win the right to vote. 7

African Americans and the War 400,000 African Americans served in WWI. Despite their valor they faced heavy discrimination. 8

The Great Migration As soldiers went off to battle Northern factories were faced with a labor shortage. Throughout the South African Americans heeded the call and moved north for jobs. Between 1910 and 1920 500,000 African Americans traveled north to find a better life. This massive movement was known as the Great Migration. 9,10

Wartime Suspicion As the war raged on Anti-German sentiment began to grow. Suddenly people distrusted anything German. People called sauerkraut “liberty cabbage”, hamburger became “Salisbury steak” and German shepherds were called police dogs. Germans across the Unite States faced prejudice and discrimination. 11