America Enters World War I

What does a country need to have when going to war?

#1 Soldiers! Passed Selective Service Act – Draft provided a supply of troops for conflict – 2.8 million drafted 2 million volunteered

African-American Troops Nearly 400,000 blacks were drafted to serve overseas Segregated units “Harlem Hell Fighters”

#2 Supplies! War Industries Board takes over war production – Shifted industries to making war materials Airplanes, ammunition, guns, etc.

Economic Changes Promoted conservation – Conservation of food to be patriotic “Wheatless” Mondays “Meatless” Tuesdays “Porkless” Thursdays Wages went up Prices went up higher Fuel Administration – Daylight Savings Time Conserve fuel and energy

Victory Gardens People were encouraged to grow some of their own food to help with the fight

Committee on Public Information Controlled information that got out to the public. – Also wanted to educate the public about the causes and nature of war. Goal was to win more American support – Used Propaganda to “Sell America”

Paying for the War US spent $32 billion on the war Congress raised income taxes US also borrowed $20 billion from American citizens through the sale of Liberty Bonds or Victory Bonds

Anti-Immigrant Immigrants from Europe (especially Germans and people from Austria- Hungary) faced suspicion

Anti-Immigrant Opinions German books removed from libraries, German music was not played Some people were beaten or killed

Really? Changed the names of all kinds of German things – Hamburger = Salisbury Steak or “Liberty Sandwich” – Sauerkraut = Victory Cabbage – Dachshunds = Liberty Pups

Espionage and Sedition Acts Congress passed the Espionage and Sedition Acts to prohibit people from speaking out against the government – Became a crime! Went after immigrants, socialists, and labor leaders who spoke against the war

Schenck vs. U.S. Schenk an Anti-war activist was arrested for passing out pamphlets Court said that speech could be limited if it presented “clear and present danger”

Eugene V. Debs Gave an anti-war speech in 1918 and was sentenced to 10 years in prison for violating the Sedition Act Appealed to the Supreme Court; the result of Debs v. US was the same as Schenck v. US

Palmer Raids U.S. Attorney General Palmer ordered a crackdown on communists and anarchists People were thrown in jail and/or deported

The Red Scare of Labor unrest led to fears that Communists were trying to create a revolt

Sacco & Vanzetti Italian immigrants Convicted of armed robbery and murder in a highly controversial trial, many believed they were blamed simply due to the fact that they were immigrants and associated with anarchists Executed in 1927, despite a confession to the crime by another individual

What other group of people is experiencing dramatic change?

Urban Race Riots Hundreds of thousands of Black people moved North – Sought to escape racism – Jobs – Drop in immigration opened opportunity Violent racism erupted in Northern cities as WWI veterans returned

The Ku Klux Klan The KKK was reborn in 1915 as a much more formally structured organization Preached on the purification of America – racism, – anti-Catholicism – anti-Communism – nativism, – anti-Semitism Strongest in Midwestern cities like Detroit & Chicago May have reached membership of 15 million

Changes for Women Women took jobs in factories. – Entered the industrial workforce in high numbers!

19 th Amendment At the end of the war - women got the right to vote

WILSON V. ZINN

President Wilson’s Speeches Read the first speech. Does Wilson think the United States should enter WWI? Why or why not? Read the second speech. Does Wilson think the United States should enter WWI? Why or why not? Use the 1917 speech to “imagine the setting.” – What does Wilson accuse Germany of doing? – Do you think this is a good reason to go to war? – What additional information would you need to have before making a decision? Re-read the last 2 paragraphs of the 1917 speech. – Why do you think Wilson added these paragraphs? – How do you think these words made Americans feel?

Howard Zinn Reading Why does Zinn claim that Wilson made a flimsy argument? What does Zinn suggest are the real reasons the United States entered the war? What evidence does Zinn provide to support his claims that the United States was motivated by other reasons (besides German attacks on U.S. ships)? Do you find Zinn’s argument convincing? Why or why not?