From War to Peace (Chapter 9)

POSTWAR HAVOC INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC: terrifying flu epidemic – many died FIRST RED SCARE: Bolsheviks, led by Lenin, gained control in Russia – new nation born, SOVIET UNION Communism: no economic classes / property

American Reaction Many Americans baffled and frightened by communism During the war, bad feelings toward “the Hun” – now toward “the Reds” “Red scare” – see political cartoon p. 272

LABOR STRIFE GROWS 1919 difficult time for American labor: some 4 million workers involved in more than 3,000 strikes nationwide workers’ raised expectations Wilson not paying attention to home events Lower demands for factory goods hurt many industries Red Scare – Communist call to workers

Major Strikes of the Era Seattle, Washington (1919): shipyards Boston, MA: police strike – Gov. Calvin Coolidge against public workers striking Steel Industry UMWA: mine strikes

Immigration Control Limiting Immigration: jobs scarce; created backlash against “foreigners” Nativism: rising movement – pushed for immigration restrictions Federal government: passed laws limited immigration quotas

Immigration (con’t) RISE OF KU KLUX KLAN: 1920’s – now targeting blacks, Jews, Catholics, immigrants – moved out of South only into other areas SACCO & VANZETTI: May 1920 these two men, Italian immigrants, were arrested for armed robbery and murder – proclaimed they were “anarchists” – executed in 1927