Explain how business & government
cooperated during the war;
 Show how the government promoted the
war;
 Describe the attacks that occurred on
civil liberties;
 Summarize the social changes that
affected African Americans and women.
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Due to the immense scope of WWI the
entire economy had to be refocused on
the war effort as our economy shifted
from producing consumer goods to
producing war supplies.
 Too complex & important to be left to
“free market” forces, so Congress gave
Pres. Wilson direct control over major
aspects of the economy (set prices &
control or “nationalize” production of
certain industries)

WAR INDUSTRIES BOARD: encouraged
mass production & standardization to
significantly increase the economy’s
output
 RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION and FUEL
ADMINISTRATION: Other federal
agencies that helped manage the US
economy during WWI to maximize
production to meet war demand.

Wages rose across the board but overall
household income didn’t change much
due to rising food & housing costs.
 Stockholder profits soared. *So income
disparity between labor & mgmt.
worsened;
 The National War Board told disgruntled
laborers to “work or fight”
 Eventually worker conditions improved.

Hoover oversaw this agency responsible
for food PRODUCTION & CONSERVATION
so more would be available for war
effort
 Individual household food production
was encouraged. As a result - US food
shipments to the Allied troops tripled &
American farmers income improves
dramatically.
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War Financing: strategies needed to raise $$ &
keep the public supporting the war effort. The
35.5 billion we spent on WWI was raised
through
TAXES & PUBLIC BORROWING through the sale
of BONDS.
PROPOGANDA (biased communication
designed to influence people’s thoughts &
actions). The Committee on Public Information
(CPI) coordinated these gov. messages. The
messages promoted Patriotism BUT deepened
hatred & violence against certain ethnic
groups & those opposed to the war.
A kind of “war hysteria” developed in the US - &
even Pres. Wilson worried about it (p. 381);
 ANTI-IMMIGRANT HYSTERIA: attacks on the
freedoms of immigrants from “enemy nations”
escalated. Germans especially were negatively
effected & were the targets of vicious attacks.
 ESPIONAGE & SEDITION ACTS: Laws by Congress
that fined & prosecuted people for “interfering with
the war” or “saying anything disloyal or profane or
abusive about the government or the war effort.”
 Although these laws violated 1st Amendment rights,
1000’s were arrested & Socialists & labor leaders
faced very tough times.
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African Americans – public opinion about war
support was divided among this group.
The Great Migration – large scale movement of
Southern blacks to cities in the North.
Women in the War – women made their mark in
previously male only jobs& contributed heavily to
the war effort resulting in increased support for their
= rights & the 19th Amendment (right to vote) was
their ultimate reward.
Flu Epidemic of 1918- about ¼ of the US population
was affected devastating the economy & morale
at home & at war. Half a million Americans died
before it ended suddenly in 1919 shortly after the
“war to end all wars” ended.
WWI on the home Front (25 mins) Home
Front during the War Wrap Up
 US Propaganda examples (2 mins)
 Nova on the 1918 flu (12 mins)
“Pandemic = epidemic over a large
area.
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