America’s America’s HomefrontHomefront

Building an ArmyBuilding an Army

Congress past the Selective Service Congress past the Selective Service ActAct Draft Draft 9.6 million registered for the draft and 9.6 million registered for the draft and

were assigned a numberwere assigned a number Sec of War Baker pulled out number 258Sec of War Baker pulled out number 258 Over course of war 24 million Over course of war 24 million

registered / 2.8 million were draftedregistered / 2.8 million were drafted

Building a War time Building a War time EconomyEconomy

Bernard BaruchBernard Baruch Wall Street investorWall Street investor head of WIB (War Industries Board)head of WIB (War Industries Board)

Main Regulatory body of war-related productionMain Regulatory body of war-related production

Regulated all industries engaged in the war effortRegulated all industries engaged in the war effort

Doled out raw materials, what & how much to produce and Doled out raw materials, what & how much to produce and fixed pricesfixed prices

Encourage use of mass-production techniques & Encourage use of mass-production techniques & standardization to increase efficiency & eliminate wastestandardization to increase efficiency & eliminate waste

““Gasless Sundays” & “Lightless night”Gasless Sundays” & “Lightless night”

Building Agriculture Building Agriculture ProductionProduction

Herbert HooverHerbert Hoover

Head of the Food AdministrationHead of the Food Administration

Set prices high to encourage farmers to produceSet prices high to encourage farmers to produce

did not rationing but encouraged people to voluntarily to cut backdid not rationing but encouraged people to voluntarily to cut back

Wheatless Monday and WedWheatless Monday and Wed

MeatlessMeatless

SweetlessSweetless

““gospel of the clean plategospel of the clean plate

Victory Gardens Victory Gardens

Daylight SavingsDaylight Savings

“Food will win the

war”

Building Funds to Fight the Building Funds to Fight the WarWar

Raised money for war effortRaised money for war effort TaxesTaxes

progressive income taxprogressive income tax Excise taxExcise tax Luxury taxLuxury tax

Sold War BondsSold War Bonds ““4 minute men” speeches4 minute men” speeches

““Only a friend of Germany would Only a friend of Germany would refuse to buy war bonds”refuse to buy war bonds”

~William G. McAdoo, Treasury Secretary~William G. McAdoo, Treasury Secretary

Building Support for the WarBuilding Support for the War Committee on Public Committee on Public

InformationInformation George CreelGeorge Creel

former muckrakerformer muckraker

Propaganda - biased Propaganda - biased communication designed to communication designed to influence people’s thoughts and influence people’s thoughts and actionsactions

Paintings, cartoons, posters, Paintings, cartoons, posters, sculptures, pamphlets, booklets, sculptures, pamphlets, booklets, leaflets, and short moviesleaflets, and short movies

Building “Support” for the Building “Support” for the warwar

Espionage and Sedition Acts, 1917 & Espionage and Sedition Acts, 1917 & 19181918

Fines and jail timeFines and jail time Interference with war effort or saying Interference with war effort or saying

anything disloyal, profane, or abusive anything disloyal, profane, or abusive about the gov’t or war effortabout the gov’t or war effort

What about the 1What about the 1stst Amendment? Amendment?

The Great The Great MigrationMigration

Mass movement of African-Mass movement of African-Americans from the South Americans from the South to Northto North

Escape racial discriminationEscape racial discrimination Harsh conditions in South – Harsh conditions in South –

boll weevil, floods, droughtsboll weevil, floods, droughts Job opportunitiesJob opportunities Overcrowding and racial Overcrowding and racial

tensiontension

WomenWomen

• Took over jobs previously held by men

• Volunteers

• Helped to advance women’s causes

• Women were not paid equally

Flu EpidemicFlu Epidemic

crisis on the home frontcrisis on the home front 1/4 of U.S. population affected1/4 of U.S. population affected Economy dropsEconomy drops Army poor living condition = 1/3 of Army poor living condition = 1/3 of

troopstroops