WW1 Home Front

Question 1

WW1 Home Economy

Answer 1

• US was unprepared for such war mass production
• E.g. Hog Island Shipyard in Philadelphia employed 3,400 workers and failed to complete its first vessel before the war ended
• 8.8 million artillery rounds fired by US troops, fewer than 8,000 had been manufactured in the US

Question 2

Paying for WW1

Answer 2

• WW1 cost $33.1 billion in addition in addition to the $7 billion lent to the Allies
• 2/3 of this cost was raised by Victory and Liberty Loans whose drives were very successful
• Movie stars, e.g. Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford were deployed to encourage people to buy bonds
• Third loan issue in April 1918, 9 million posters and 5 million stickers were issued
• Government collected $10.5 billion in taxes
• 25% inheritance tax was introduced

Question 3

War Industries Board

Answer 3

• Created by Wilson to co-ordinate the tasks of finance and supplies
• Had the power to direct scarce resources, standardise production and fix prices but still allow firms to make large profits
• Led to accusations of war profiteering in post-war years

Question 4

Railroads

Answer 4

• Railroads were run as a single-centralised system to simplify and coordinate the movement of goods and troops
• Director-General of Railroads, William G. McAdoo pooled all railroad equipment, standardised accounting practices, raised wages and increased passenger rates

Question 5

Agriculture

Answer 5

• Herbert Hoover was appointed as Food Administrator
• Lever Food and Fuel Control Act: Set wheat prices to $2.20 per bushel, established a gov corporation to buy US and Cuban sugar to maintain supplies and organised sensible eating campaigns, e.g. Meatless Thursdays
• Food productions increased from 12.3 million to 18.6 million tons per year
• 1915-1918: Farmers income increased by 30%

Question 6

Workers

Answer 6

• National War Labour Board: Set up in April 1918 to settle industrial disputes
• War Labour Policies Board: Set wages and standards of employment
• Wages doubled in the steel industry
• Union membership rose by 2.3 million during war

Question 7

Women

Answer 7

• Suffrage movement stopped due to the war
• Women not mobilised into production as much as in WW2
• Only 6,000 were engaged in aircraft manufacture
• Their role was mainly seen as encouraging people to buy war bonds and sending comfort to the troops abroad
• Labour unions didn’t support the hiring of women, thought they would lower men’s wages
• Those who found jobs in the war were generally discharged after men returned

Question 8

Migration of African Americans

Answer 8

• Mass northward migration between 1914-1918, as many as 500,000 migrants fled North
• NYC population grew from 92,000 to 152,000
• Employment was better in the North, however there was a serious number of riots, e.g. East St. Louis, 39 AA’s killed
• 20,000 AA troops confined to labour battalions
• Experience of less racist attitudes, especially from the French, led to changes in their own perceptions

Question 9

Patriotism of African Americans

Answer 9

• Over 360,000 AA’s volunteered for service of whom 200,000 served abroad
• July 1918: Most AA organisations were supporting the war
• However, experiences abroad did help develop a sense of black consciousness and determination to improve their living conditions upon their return

Question 10

Suppression of African Americans

Answer 10

• Many Americans feared AA’s wouldn’t support US war effort when they faced prejudice/discrimination
• There was rumours that German agents were going to subvert the loyalty of AA’s and authorised the Bureau of Investigation of the Justice Department, and military intelligence, to track down pro-German feelings among AA’s
• These investigations particularly focused on the Black Press
• ‘The Crisis’ drew the most attention as it was the most influential radical AA mouthpiece
• 1917-1918: ‘The Crisis’ circulation increased from 41,000 to 74,000