Post War America The “Red Scare”

Post War Challenges Following the war, the US faced fear of the Flu Epidemic, as well as economic and political challenges: Economic Challenges: Slowing economy Less factory production Returning soldiers had difficulty finding jobs Political Challenges: WW1 patriotic feelings led to hatred toward Germans Nativism: distrust of foreigners and heightened patriotism

The First Red Scare American reaction: In 1917, the Red Army of the Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin took control of Russia and established Communism: a political and economic system with no social classes and government control of all major industry and property. Lenin believed that all people should share equally in society’s wealth American reaction: Most Americans embraced Capitalism, and felt threatened by Communism Public anxiety became fixated on “Reds” The Red Scare: widespread fear of communism, gripped the nation and the US government responded.

The Palmer Raids A. Mitchell Palmer, the attorney general of the US, led an attack on suspected radicals and Socialists known as the Palmer raids. To justify the raids, Palmer used wartime laws that gave the government broad powers against suspected radicals. For aliens- citizens of other countries living in the US- you could be deported for being involved in “radical” groups. In late 1919, Palmer’s forces arrested and deported thousands of members of suspected radical groups. Many Americans cheered his actions… “I believe we should place them all in ships of stone, with sails of lead.” –Leonard Wood

Labor Strife Grows The year 1919 was one of the most explosive times in the history of the US labor movement Over 4 million workers took part in more than 3,000 strikes nationwide Postwar difficulties: Wartime and progressive reforms in industry raised worker’s expectations Wilson’s focus on foreign policy distracted from domestic unrest Sinking postwar demand for factory goods hurt many industries Labor’s losses: The Red Scare hurt labor union’s reputation and Americans became suspicious of organized labor

Limiting Immigration Competition for scarce jobs, combined with the Red Scare, triggered an ugly backlash against foreigners in the postwar period. The nativists targeted newer arrivals from southern and eastern Europe, many of whom were Catholic and Jewish. They were willing to work for low wages, and many Americans saw them as a threat. Immigration Control: The National Origins Act of 1924: set quotas for each country at 3% of the number of people from that country living in the US in 1890. The goal was clearly to reduce immigration to the US from southern and eastern European nations The act also nearly eliminated all immigration from Asian nations

Revival of the KKK Nativism also produced a revival in the 1920s of the KKK The Klan had started as a terror group that targeted African Americans in the South It reemerged in the postwar years with a broader mission: targeting Jews, Catholics, and radicals of all types A Klan slogan of the 1920s characterized the group’s vision of the nation” “Native white, Protestant supremacy”

Who is this? What do you notice about her? What does this say about our justice system?

Sacco and Vanzetti In May 1920, Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, two Italian immigrants, were arrested for armed robbery and murder. They also proclaimed they were Anarchists: radicals who sought the destruction of government. During their trial it became clear that the evidence against the two men was weak. Amid great publicity and protests, the two men were convicted and sentenced to die. They were executed in 1927. Most agree that the men’s political ideas played a prominent role in the trial. “My conviction is that I have suffered for things I am guilty of. I am suffering because I am a radical, and indeed I am a radical; I have suffered because I was an Italian, and indeed I am Italian.” –Vanzetti in court, 1927

Can you think of any examples of how Nativism effects us today?