WORLD WAR I: On the Homefront [APUSH Unit 7 Topic 6] Period 7: 1898-1945

Summary

In this video, Heimler explores America's homefront during World War I, focusing on the significant mobilization efforts that supported the war. The U.S. government established agencies like the War Industries Board and Food Administration to manage resources. Civil liberties were curtailed through laws like the Espionage and Sedition Acts, and the Supreme Court upheld these restrictions. The Red Scare and rising nativism fueled anti-immigrant sentiment and restrictive immigration laws. Meanwhile, the Great Migration saw Southern African Americans move North, escaping racial oppression but facing discrimination. The video provides a thorough look at the social and political dynamics shaping wartime America.

Takeaways

• 😀 World War I was a 'total war' that mobilized the full economic, industrial, and social resources of the nations involved, including the U.S.
• 😀 The U.S. government set up wartime agencies like the War Industries Board and the Food Administration to ensure the war effort was well-supported at home.
• 😀 Many Americans opposed U.S. involvement in World War I, leading the federal government to pass the Espionage Act (1917) and Sedition Act (1918) to restrict dissent.
• 😀 The Supreme Court upheld restrictions on free speech in the 1919 Schenck v. United States case, ruling that speech causing a 'clear and present danger' could be silenced.
• 😀 The federal government also suppressed information about the Spanish Flu to maintain public morale, despite the flu's devastating toll on American lives.
• 😀 The Red Scare in 1919 fueled anti-communist hysteria after the Russian Revolution, leading to xenophobia and increased immigration restrictions.
• 😀 The Palmer Raids in 1919 saw thousands of suspected radicals, socialists, and labor union leaders arrested, with many deported during the Red Scare.
• 😀 Immigration from Europe peaked before World War I, but nativist backlash led to laws like the Emergency Quota Act (1921) and the National Origins Act (1924), which severely limited immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe and Asia.
• 😀 The Great Migration saw African Americans move from the oppressive South to industrial cities in the North, driven by a desire for better jobs and to escape racial segregation.
• 😀 Despite moving to the North, black migrants still faced significant discrimination, leading to racial tensions and over 25 race riots in 1919, including the deadly Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921.

Q & A

What does 'total war' mean in the context of World War I?

In the context of World War I, 'total war' refers to the complete mobilization of a country's economic, industrial, and social resources to support the war effort. This includes not just military engagement but also the transformation of civilian industries and daily life to contribute to the war.

What were the main functions of the War Industries Board during WWI?

The War Industries Board coordinated labor and management to ensure factories produced war-related materials, such as armaments and uniforms, efficiently. This helped streamline production and support the war effort on the homefront.

What role did the Food Administration play during the war?

The Food Administration was responsible for ensuring that food production in the U.S. was sufficient for both the military and the civilian population. It helped manage food distribution and encouraged voluntary conservation efforts through campaigns like 'Meatless Mondays' and 'Wheatless Wednesdays.'

What were the Espionage Act and Sedition Act, and how did they affect civil liberties?

The Espionage Act (1917) and the Sedition Act (1918) were laws passed to restrict free speech and prevent dissent against the U.S. government's involvement in World War I. They made it illegal to oppose the war, interfere with the draft, or criticize the war effort, significantly limiting civil liberties during the war.

How did the Supreme Court rule in the case of Schenck v. United States?

In *Schenck v. United States* (1919), the Supreme Court upheld the Espionage Act, ruling that free speech could be restricted if it presented a 'clear and present danger' to national security, thus justifying the suppression of anti-war speech.

How did the federal government manage the spread of information about the Spanish Flu?

During the Spanish Flu pandemic, the federal government attempted to suppress news of the flu's severity and the high death toll to avoid damaging morale during the war. This censorship of information further increased public anxiety.

What was the Red Scare, and what caused it?

The Red Scare was a period of intense fear of communism in the U.S., sparked by the Russian Revolution of 1917. Americans feared a similar communist revolution could occur at home, leading to widespread suspicion and repression of suspected radicals.

What were the Palmer Raids, and what was their impact?

The Palmer Raids (1919-1920) were a series of government actions led by Attorney General Mitchell Palmer to arrest and deport suspected radicals, anarchists, and communists. Over 6,000 people were arrested, and more than 500 were deported, contributing to a climate of fear and repression.

How did the U.S. government's approach to immigration change after World War I?

After World War I, nativism increased in the U.S., leading to stricter immigration laws. The Emergency Quota Act of 1921 and the National Origins Act of 1924 set quotas that severely limited immigration, especially from Southern and Eastern Europe and Asia, in response to fears of foreign influence and communism.

What was the Great Migration, and what were its main causes?

The Great Migration was the mass movement of African Americans from the rural South to urban industrial centers in the North between 1916 and 1970. It was driven by the search for better job opportunities, escape from Jim Crow laws, and the desire for improved living conditions.

What was the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921, and what triggered it?

The Tulsa Race Riot (also known as the Tulsa Massacre) occurred in 1921 when a white mob attacked the Greenwood District, a prosperous Black neighborhood in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It was triggered by the false accusation that a Black man had assaulted a white woman. The riot led to the destruction of the neighborhood, the deaths of around 300 Black people, and the displacement of thousands.

How did African American migrants fare in the North during the Great Migration?

While African American migrants in the North sought better economic opportunities and hoped for greater social equality, they still faced discrimination, though it was not codified into law like the segregation of the South. Tensions led to race riots, and racial prejudice persisted in housing, jobs, and social interactions.