World War I Notes The U.S. in War and Life on the Homefront

A.E.F. = American Expeditionary Force Commander = Gen. John J. Pershing –Thought trench warfare was too defensive –Wanted to keep AEF an independent fighting force

Doughboys Nickname for American infantry due to the white belts of uniform which they cleaned with pipe clay or dough U.S. lost 48,000 men in battle 62,000 more died from disease More than 200,000 more were wounded

Alvin York Red-head mountaineer from TN – born again Christian, wanted to be a conscientious objector but denied. Decided it was morally ok to fight if cause was just, with six others killed 25 Germans and took 132 prisoner Pershing says York is most outstanding of AEF

Eddie Rickenbacker From Ohio, became outstanding U.S. fighter pilot Shot down a total of 26 enemy planes Won a dogfight with the team of the Red Baron

Organizations on the Homefront WIB – War Industries Board (Bernard Baruch) –Helped companies increase efficiency while reducing waste (side effect – womens fashion?) Food Administration (Herbert Hoover) - helped produce and conserve food - meatless days and sweetless days - victory gardens planted by homeowners

It is not an army we must shape and train for war, it is a nation W. Wilson CPI – Committee on Public Information (George Creel) – publicize and propagandize the war War Bonds – helped to finance the war (used movie stars to sell bonds)

African-Americans and the War Divided opinion: some say support the war, others said that victims of racism should not support a racist government The Great Migration = massive movement of hundreds of thousands of southern blacks to American cities in the north –Due to racism/discrimination in the south and job opportunities for war production in the north (factories)

Women on the Homefront Women enter workforce in jobs left by men gone to war Railroad workers, bricklayers, dockworkers, etc. The majority made less money than the men who did the same jobs Many women also volunteered for the war effort

Flu Epidemic on the Homefront 1918, flu epidemic hits U.S. ½ of U.S. population got sick Companies had to shut down, cities ran short on coffins, corpses lay unburied for a week Doctors didnt really know what to do to stop it 500,000 Americans dies before it ended in 1919; 40 MILLION people died worldwide

End of War Germans begin to collapse near end of 1918 Agree to cease fire at the 11 th hour of the 11 th day in the 11 th month of 1918 War totals: 4 years long 30 nations involved 26 million total deaths (1/2 of those civilian) Total cost of around $350 billion P. 568 Eddie Rickenbacker quote