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Discussion. What seems to be the purpose of this song? It seems to be a way of motivating men to volunteer to serve in the war. Discussion. How can popular entertainment be used to generate support for a war?
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Discussion • What seems to be the purpose of this song? It seems to be a way of motivating men to volunteer to serve in the war.
Discussion • How can popular entertainment be used to generate support for a war? Music, films, and other forms of entertainment may be used to convey patriotic messages and encourage the public to support a war. They may provide contemporary examples, as appropriate.
Discussion • In what ways does the song serve propaganda purposes? It speaks to duty and Yankee pride and making one's parents and sweetheart proud of your service as a soldier.
Discussion • Discuss this line from the song: “every son of liberty. To whom the line refers and how they know. American soldiers, because liberty is a treasured value in America; the Sons of Liberty was a patriotic group in pre-Revolutionary times. “Over There” was considered a patriotic song. Patriotic movies, speeches, and pamphlets were also common.
Managing the Economy • Government Agencies Congress created several new federal agencies to manage the use of resources. These included the War Industries Board (WIB), Food Administration, Fuel Administration, and National War Labor Board (NWLB). • Rationing Agencies encouraged citizens to ration food and energy for use in the war effort. Americans gave up commodities such as wheat, meat, and heating fuel on certain days, and grew victory gardens to supplement their own food supply. • Taxes Congress raised income tax rates and established several new taxes on business and war profits in order to pay for the war effort. • Bonds Americans purchased Liberty Bonds and Victory Bonds from the government to help fund the war. The government borrowed over $20 billion through these bonds.
Discussion • How could average citizens support the war effort? Citizens could conserve food and energy resources for use by soldiers and war factories. They could also lend the government money by buying war bonds.
Discussion • Why do you think the federal government undertook such wide-scale economic and social mobilization? The government was determined to take any steps necessary to help the military succeed.
Managing the Workforce • Women in the Workforce With so many men serving in the military, employers hired women to fill different types of jobs. About one million women entered the workforce, and an additional eight million took on better industrial jobs. • African Americans Move North Employers also hired many African Americans from the South to work in Northern factories. Hundreds of thousands of African Americans settled in cities including Chicago, New York, Cleveland, and Detroit, where they began influencing politics and culture. • Mexican Americans Migrate More than 100,000 Mexicans moved to take agricultural jobs in the Southwest. Many others moved to cities to find manufacturing jobs.
Discussion • How did life change for women on the home front during World War I? Many more women began working outside of the home in jobs traditionally held by men. Students will probably suggest that this changed society’s view of women’s capabilities and roles.
Discussion • How did life change for African Americans on the home front during World War I? Hundreds of thousands of African Americans left the Deep South for industrial jobs in the North. In Northern cities, these members of the “Great Migration” could vote and had greater civil rights.
Shaping Public Opinion • Committee on Public Information The Committee on Public Information (CPI) produced pamphlets and paid speakers to encourage Americans to support the war effort. • Espionage Act of 1917 Congress passed the Espionage Act of 1917 to outlaw helping the enemy, giving false reports, or interfering with the war effort. Socialist Eugene V. Debs was famously arrested under this law. • Sedition Act of 1918 The Sedition Act of 1918 prohibited anyone from speaking out against the war. This allowed the government to arrest those who criticized government actions. • Anti-German Sentiment The war stirred feelings against German Americans, labor activists, radicals, and pacifists. Many German Americans changed their names and avoided speaking German in public.
Discussion • How were Americans’ rights limited during World War I? The government made it illegal to speak out against the war effort or criticize the government, thus limiting citizens’ freedom of speech.
Discussion • Do you think that the government was right to pass the Sedition Act? Why or why not? The Sedition Act supported victory in the war, and citizens have the right to speak out against wars or government.
Mobilizing the Military • Progressive Ideals Progressive ideals helped shape military recruitment practices. Local draft boards held the power to decide who was drafted into the army. • Volunteers Some two million men enlisted in the war. • African Americans in the Military Hundreds of thousands of African Americans served in the war, mostly in support roles. About 42,000 soldiers fought overseas in racially segregated units. • Women in the Military For the first time, women served as official noncombatants in the U.S. Navy and the Army Nurse Corps. Women could also serve as auxiliaries.
