The Home Front

Chapter 14 Section 2

Selective Service

The Selective Service act was passed in 1917.

It required all men ages 21 to 30 to register for the draft.

Volunteers for War

Not everyone who fought in the war was drafted.

Roughly 2 million men volunteered for military service during WWI.

African Americans in the War

400,000 African Americans were drafted. 42,000 of them served overseas. African Americans faced racism and

discrimination during WWI, and almost always were forced to serve under white officers.

Women in the Military

WWI was the first war in which women officially served in the armed forces.

Most women were nurses or clerks during WWI.

The Food Administration

A very successful government agency during WWI.

What types of things did the Food Administration introduce to try and help with the war efforts? (pg 458)

Paying for the War

By the end of WWI the United States was spending about 44 million dollars a day!

This means the U.S. spend roughly 32 billion dollars on the war in total.

See page 463.

What are the two major ways that the United States tried to raise money to pay for the war?

Women Support Industry

The war increased work opportunities for women.

Although women were allowed to fill many industrial type jobs during the war, these jobs were not always permanent, as when the war was over most men returned to their jobs and the women had to return to their previous line of work.

The Great Migration

Roughly 300,000 to 500,000 African Americans migrated from southern states to Northern cities during the war.

What caused this “great migration?”

Selling the War

George Creel, the head of the CPI recruited the following to help sway public opinion in favor of the war: Advertising executives Commercial artists Authors Songwriters Entertainers Public Speakers Motion picture companies

A climate of suspicion

The fear of spies and emphasis on patriotism quickly led to the mistreatment and persecution of many German Americans.