World War I: US Home Front World War I: US Home Front

US History SpiconardiUS History Spiconardi

Recruitment Recruitment

Nobody signed up to join armed servicesNobody signed up to join armed services– Hoping for 1 million, only 73,000 signed upHoping for 1 million, only 73,000 signed up

RecruitmentRecruitment

RecruitmentRecruitment

Selective ServiceSelective Service

Selective Service ActSelective Service Act– Passed in May 1917Passed in May 1917

All males 18-45 had to register for a draftAll males 18-45 had to register for a draft

– Challenged in the Supreme CourtChallenged in the Supreme CourtSupreme Court upholds Congresses power to Supreme Court upholds Congresses power to conscript conscript

– Conscription halted in 1973, but all males Conscription halted in 1973, but all males must still register at age 18 in case draft is must still register at age 18 in case draft is reinstituted reinstituted

Mobilizing SupportMobilizing Support

Mobilizing SupportMobilizing Support

Mobilizing SupportMobilizing Support

Mobilizing SupportMobilizing Support

Mobilizing SupportMobilizing Support

Mobilizing SupportMobilizing Support

Sauerkraut Sauerkraut

Frankfurter Frankfurter

HamburgerHamburger

German Measles German Measles

German ShepherdGerman Shepherd

Liberty CabbageLiberty Cabbage

Hot DogHot Dog

Liberty SteakLiberty Steak

Liberty MeaslesLiberty Measles

AlsatiansAlsatians

Influenza Pandemic 1918Influenza Pandemic 1918

Started in Kansas army Started in Kansas army base (1917)base (1917)

675,000+ Americans 675,000+ Americans KilledKilled

Estimates up to 40 million Estimates up to 40 million in across the worldin across the world

1/6 of US Army gets flu1/6 of US Army gets flu– Nearly as many die from flu Nearly as many die from flu

as in combatas in combat

Constitutional IssuesConstitutional Issues

Espionage ActEspionage Act– Forbade “false statements” designed to Forbade “false statements” designed to

impede the draft or promote military impede the draft or promote military insubordinationinsubordination

– Banned materials considered treasonous from Banned materials considered treasonous from being sent via the mailbeing sent via the mail

Schenck v. United StatesSchenck v. United States

See packetSee packet

Sedition ActSedition ActSECTION 3. Whoever, when the United States is at war, shall willfully SECTION 3. Whoever, when the United States is at war, shall willfully make or convey false reports or false statements with intent to make or convey false reports or false statements with intent to interfere with the operation or success of the military or naval forces interfere with the operation or success of the military or naval forces of the United States, or to promote the success of its enemies, or of the United States, or to promote the success of its enemies, or shall willfully make or convey false reports, or false statements, . . . or shall willfully make or convey false reports, or false statements, . . . or incite insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal of duty, in the incite insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal of duty, in the military or naval forces of the United States, or shall willfully obstruct . military or naval forces of the United States, or shall willfully obstruct . . . the recruiting or enlistment service of the United States, or . . . shall . . the recruiting or enlistment service of the United States, or . . . shall willfully utter, print, write, or publish any disloyal, profane, scurrilous, willfully utter, print, write, or publish any disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive language about the form of government of the United or abusive language about the form of government of the United States, or the Constitution of the United States, or the military or States, or the Constitution of the United States, or the military or naval forces of the United States . . . or shall willfully display the flag naval forces of the United States . . . or shall willfully display the flag of any foreign enemy, or shall willfully . . . urge, incite, or advocate of any foreign enemy, or shall willfully . . . urge, incite, or advocate any curtailment of production . . . or advocate, teach, defend, or any curtailment of production . . . or advocate, teach, defend, or suggest the doing of any of the acts or things in this section suggest the doing of any of the acts or things in this section enumerated and whoever shall by word or act support or favor the enumerated and whoever shall by word or act support or favor the cause of any country with which the United States is at war or by cause of any country with which the United States is at war or by word or act oppose the cause of the United States therein, shall be word or act oppose the cause of the United States therein, shall be punished by a fine of not more than $10,000 or imprisonment for not punished by a fine of not more than $10,000 or imprisonment for not more than twenty years, or both.... more than twenty years, or both....

Anti-Dissent GroupsAnti-Dissent Groups

Committee on Public Information Committee on Public Information – Press used propaganda to shape & mobilize public Press used propaganda to shape & mobilize public

opinion and encouraged people to spy on neighborsopinion and encouraged people to spy on neighbors

American Vigilante PatrolAmerican Vigilante Patrol– Formed to put an end to seditious street oratoryFormed to put an end to seditious street oratory

American Protective LeagueAmerican Protective League– ““The mails are supposed to be sacred…But let us call The mails are supposed to be sacred…But let us call

the American Protective League sometimes almost the American Protective League sometimes almost clairvoyant as to letters done by suspects…It is clairvoyant as to letters done by suspects…It is supposed that breaking and entering a man’s home or supposed that breaking and entering a man’s home or office place without warrant is burglary. Granted. But office place without warrant is burglary. Granted. But the League has done that thousands of times and has the League has done that thousands of times and has never been detected!”never been detected!”