World War One: Homefront and Battlefront 1914-1918
Selective Service Act Authorized a draft of young men for military service Men received a number, a lottery was held, numbers drawn were called up for duty 24 million registered 4 million drafted
War Industries Board Headed by Bernard Baruch Regulated all industries engaged in the war effort Decided what industries Could make Where the products would go How much they would cost
Food Administration Headed by Herbert Hoover Encouraged Americans to eat less of certain foods so that more food could be shipped to Europe for soldiers (patriotism) Wheatless Mondays and Wednesdays Meatless Tuesdays Porkless Thursdays
Committee on Public Information Headed by George Creel Persuaded American perceptions of the war Educated Americans on the causes and nature of the war…getting them to think it was a just cause Education through speeches, pamphlets, posters (propaganda that showed the wickedness of the Central Powers)
Women and the War Filled the jobs of men while they went to fight the war, proving themselves Also helped with food conservation and rationing Helped get the 19th Amendment passed
Opposition to the War Jeanette Rankin (1st Congresswoman) voted against war Conscientious objectors: people whose moral or religious beliefs forbid them to fight in wars Pacifists or Quakers Were to be exempt from the Selective Service Act but this was not always followed These people were seen as unpatriotic “Keeping the world safe for democracy” turned the war into a just cause, a quote by President Wilson
Espionage and Sedition Acts Espionage: made it unlawful to print anything negative about the government Upheld in Schenck vs. US in which the court ruled that there are times when free speech can be limited..wartime was one Sedition: made it unlawful to speak badly about the American government Eugene Debs was imprisoned for this
Russian/Bolshevik Revolution Vladimir Lenin staged a successful revolution in Russia to set up a communist government Lenin pulled out Russian troops and Russia signed a peace treaty with Germany Created an unstable Europe because of the communists government Now Germany was fighting a one front war with France, all resources are on France
American Expeditionary Force All the troops sent to Europe during WWI fighting alongside Allied forces Under the command of General John J. Pershing Doughboys were infantry (on foot)soldiers
How to Avoid U-Boat Attacks German u-boats were attacking merchant ships…Allies were losing crucial supplies Allies adopt the convoy tactic in which merchant ships sail together and are protected by warships…a huge success
The War Ends When America enters and the convoy is used the defeat is in sight November 11, 1918 Germany surrendered to the Allies and agreed to cease fire (armistice) 5 million Allies dead 8 million Centrals dead 6.5 million civilians dead Now what will happen to the Central Powers? What will be their punishment?