WWI: 1911-1919
A. Homefront Society of Am. Indians (SAI) Indian Rights Association (IRA) Sec. Treasury William McAdoo 1917 War Bonds-Stamps Indians bought 1st $4.6 million 2nd $4.3 million 3rd $4.3 million Many Indian women held auctions for the Red Cross BIA pressures Indians to lease “unused” land to white farmers
B. Government 1. Wilson appeals to Indians 2. Western Indians meet with the president and Congress 3. 1912: Congress begins funding better health services for Indians 4.. 1913 US v. Sandoval 5. Creation of Indian Orgs Society of Am. Indians (SAI) Alaska Native Brotherhood (ANB), and Sisterhood (ANS) 6. 1917 WWI ends most public health programs
C. Pre-War Military Service 1916 Pershing captures Pancho Villa April 1917 Declaration of War Debate about segregated or integrated units May 1917 Selective Service Act 1st and 2nd Call for enrollment and issues of classification Support and Resistance to Draft Carlos Montezuma Lost on the Road in Europe Boarding school recruitment
D. Individuals and the War Why register or enlist? Private job - $91.66 a year 1st year sailor $200 a year Enlisted army - $528.00 a year “Why did I enlist in the army? Because I wanted to hold up my flag which we and every one of us love so much! All that was in me was to save my Country for democracy, and I am a true American.”
D. Individuals and the War 2. Draft issues: Language: Illiteracy or Non-English Health: Stoicism, disease and alcoholism Citizenship criterion Classes of Draft 11,803 Indian registered before Sept. 1918 6,509 inducted, 55% of registered, 13% of all Indian Men Only 228 (2% of registrants) claimed deferment 5,500 registered after Sept. 1918 (Total Reg. 17,000 +)
D. Individuals and the War 3. Bootcamp and Disembarking Cherokee, NC to Camp Jackson, SC OK Indians to 4 camps in Texas Apaches, Navajos, Pueblos at Camp Cody, NM & Camp Arthur J. Jones, AZ Northern Plains to Camp Funston, KS & Camp Dodge, IA Trains to embarkment at NY harbor, Hoboken NJ, or Newport News VA
D. Individuals and the War Women and the War Effort Miss Effie Barnett (Choctaw) Agnes Anderson (Callam) Army Nurses in France Lula Owl (E. Cherokee) in the Army Medical Corp Tsianina Red Feather (Cherokee) 2 brothers in Army, sang in France
E. European distinction Crpl. John Victor Adams (Siletz, OR) with Douglas MacArthur, wounded at Chateau-Theirrey Srgt. Otis W. Leader (Choctaw) Battle of Soisson, Machine gunner Prvt. Joseph Oklahombi (Choctaw, OK) St. Etienne, Croix de Guerre Indian Aviators: Floberth W. Richester (OK) 7 kills Indians in Navy, ~1000 Wesley Youngbird (E. Cherokee) Wyoming William Leon Wolfe (Cree) gunner Utah
F. European Code Talking Oct. 1918 – 142nd Inf. Reg. 2 Choctaws to talk on Phone Translation 3rd Battalion = 3 Grains of Corn Machine gun = little gun shoots fast Casualties = scalps Poison gas = bad air Used last two months 1918: Choctaws, Comanches, Osages, Cheyenne, Sioux
G. Stereotypes and Living up to them Chiefs, runners, snipers Romanticized portrayal of Indians 1. ancestral fighting tactics and knowledge 2. unique physical-emotional ability to make them better soldiers 3. bloodthirsty Indian Dancers June 1919 40 Pawnee vets do a victory dance
H. Post War reception 1. 1918 Influenza 2. 1919 Indian Citizenship Act 3. re-enlistment vs. war bonuses Receive discharge papers, uniform, coat, pair of shoes, bonus $60 Oct. 27 1918 New York Times funeral of Allen Otterman (Sioux)