The Home Front during WWI

http://www.firstworldwar.com/audio/overthere.htm

1917 Selective Service Act 24,000,000 men registered for the draft by the end of 1918 4,800,000 men served in WWI (2,000,000 saw active combat) 400,000 African-Americans served in segregated units 15,000 Native-Americans served as scouts, messengers, and snipers in non-segregated units Selective Service Act of 1917 required all men between 21 and 30 to register for the draft. A lottery randomly determined the order they were called before a local draft board in charge of selecting or exempting people from military service. Progressives believed civilians in local communities made best decisions about which men to draft African Americans served in segregated units often under the direct supervision of white officers. 92nd and 93rd infantry divisions fought in bitter battles along the Western Front, and the 369th infantry division won the highly prized French decoration, the Criox de Guerre (war cross)

Opportunities for African Americans during WWI “Great Migration.” 1916 – 1919  70,000 War industries work Enlistment in segregated units

From the biography of a 'Munitionette', Miss Joan Williams Labor 'Women working in larger munitions factories were known as Canaries because they dealt with TNT which caused their skin to turn yellow. Around 400 women died from overexposure to TNT during World War One. Other hazards were more obvious and minor problems were common.' · The War Industries Board told factories what to produce and the War Labor Board settled labor disputes From the biography of a 'Munitionette', Miss Joan Williams

The Role of Women in WWI Women in the military Army Nursing Corps 10,000 overseas Navy clerical duties, radio operators

Organizing the War Effort at Home War Industries Board – Bernard Baruch Food Administration – Herbert Hoover Fuel Administration – Railroad Administration – William McAdoo National War Labor Board – W. H.Taft & Frank P. Walsh Congress created special boards to coordinate the mobilization of the economy. Cooperation between big business and government. Fuel Administration- Manage the nation’s use of coal and oil. Conserve energy, instituted daylight savings time and “heatless Mondays” National War Labor Board mediate labor disputes that might otherwise lead to strikes. Wage increases, 8 hr. workday, and right of unions to organize and bargain collectively. Labor leaders agreed not to disrupt war production with strikes or other disturbances WIB- What industries could and could not produce. Controlled the flow of raw materials, factories, could set prices. Production in U.S. increased by 20% Food- Increasing food production while reducing civilian consumption

Food Administration “Wheatless Mondays” “Meatless Tuesdays” “Porkless Thursdays” · Food: Americans learned to conserve food for the soldiers.

The government standardized the size of loaves of bread made by bakeries. Only bread baked with the exact percentage of substitute ingredients as required by the food laws could be called “victory bread”

“V” is for Victory (Garden that is!) In order to support the troops “victory gardens” were grown by people throughout the nation.

Fuel Administration

Liberty Bonds and Victory Bonds 1/3 of war money required was gathered through income taxes. The government borrowed more than $20 billion from the American people by selling Liberty and Victory Bonds. By buying the bonds, the Americans were loaning the government money, which they agreed to repay with interest in a specified number of years. Buying these bonds was seen as an act of patriotism

Committee on Public Information Short patriotic 4 minute speeches to be delivered at movie theaters, public halls, and gathering places

Espionage Act – 1917 How far are YOU willing to go for your country? - forbade actions that obstructed recruitment or efforts to promote insubordination in the military. - ordered the Postmaster General to remove Leftist materials from the mail. - fines of up to $10,000 and/or up to 20 years in prison.

How far are YOU willing to go for your country? Sedition Act – 1918 - it was a crime to speak against the purchase of war bonds or willfully utter, print, write or publish any disloyal, profane, or abusive language about this form of US Govt., the US Constitution, or the US armed forces or to willfully urge, incite, or advocate any curtailment of production of things necessary or essential to the prosecution of the war…with intent of such curtailment to cripple or hinder the US in the prosecution of the war.