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Building Up the Military and Mobilizing Industry During WWI (1917)

The year 1917 marked a major shift in the U.S. military structure and industry mobilization as the nation entered World War I. A draft was implemented through the Selective Service Act, requiring men aged 21-30 to register, leading to the enlistment of 2.8 million troops and 2 million volunteers, including nearly 400,000 African Americans. Women's roles expanded, with 11,000 serving in the Navy. The War Industries Board coordinated production, while campaigns promoted war bonds and food conservation. These changes reshaped American society and labor dynamics during the war.

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Building Up the Military and Mobilizing Industry During WWI (1917)

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  1. The Home Front Section 2

  2. Building Up the Military • 1917 army and National Guard combined had around 300,000 troops • Many more were needed for war • Progressives, who were still in power, believed a draft was a violation of democratic and republican beliefs • Conscription- forced military service • Congress realized a draft was needed • Created a new conscription system called selective service • Selective Service Act 1917- required all men between 21-30 to register for the draft • A lottery randomly selected the order • 2.8 million Americans were drafted; 2 million more volunteered

  3. African Americans in the War • Nearly 400,000 African Americans were drafted • 42,000 served overseas as combat troops • African Americans encountered many challenges • Encountered discrimination • Encountered prejudice • Segregated units with white officers • Fought with distinction in the war • Many won praise from Marshal Henri Petain (French commander) and General John Pershing (U.S. Commander) • Entire 369th Infantry Division won highly prized French decoration, Croix de Guerre (war cross)

  4. Women in the Military • WWI was first war in which women officially served in the armed forces…only noncombat though • Prior to WWI women worked as auxiliaries to men • Most men were called to active duty • 1917 navy authorized the enlistment of women • By end of the war 11,000 women served in the navy • Women’s tasks: • Clerical duties (nurses) • Radio operators • Electricians • Pharmacists • Photographers • Chemists • Torpedo assemblers

  5. Cont. • Army refused to enlist women • Only women to actually serve in the army were Army Nursing Corps • Army nurses were the only women in the military to be sent overseas during the war • 20,000 nurses served in army during war; 10,000 overseas

  6. Organizing Industry • Congress created special boards to coordinate mobilization of the economy • Government didn’t control the economy, instead these boards did, emphasizing cooperation between big business and government • Goal was to ensure most efficient use of national resources to further the war effort

  7. The War Industries Board • War Industries Board (WIB)- job was to coordinate the production of war materials • President Wilson didn’t give the WIB authority over the economy at first, but by March 1918 he decided industrial production needed better coordination • Bernard Baruch was appointed to run it • WIB told manufacturers what they could and could not produce • Controlled the flow of raw materials, ordered the construction of new factories, and occasionally set prices, with Wilson’s approval

  8. Food and Fuel • Read this section • Understand the Food Administration • Victory gardens • Daylight savings time

  9. Paying for the War • Read this section • Understand how the government planned to pay for the war • Liberty and Victory Bonds

  10. Liberty Bonds

  11. Victory Bonds

  12. Women Support Industry • The war increased working opportunities for women • Filled industrial jobs that were vacated by men serving in the military • War-generated changed for women were not permanent • When men returned after the war women returned to their previous job or stopped working

  13. Great Migration • With the flow of immigrants from Europe cut off and large numbers of white workers being drafted, the war opened new doors for African Americans • Thousands of African Americans flocked to factory vacancies • 300,000-500,000 African Americans fled the Southern cities moving to Northern cities, the Great Migration • Altered racial makeup of • Chicago • New York • Cleveland • Detroit

  14. Selling the War • George Creel was in charge of selling the war to the people • He was the head of the Committee of Public Information CPI • He recruited advertising executives, commercial artists, authors, songwriters, entertainers, public speakers and motion picture companies to sway public opinion in favor of war

  15. Civil Liberties • Espionage- spying to acquire secret government information • Espionage Act of 1917- established penalties and prison terms for anyone who gave aid to the enemy • Penalized disloyalty, giving false reports, or otherwise interfering with the war effort • Post Office even hired college professors to translate foreign periodicals to find out if they contained antiwar messages • Sedition Act 1918- further expanded the Espionage Act, allowing officials to prosecute anyone who criticized the president or the government

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