David Kennedy 's Over Here : The First World War And American Society

America’s involvement in World War I not only impacted the war front but also the people left on the home front. When America entered World War I in 1917 the government enforced many measures on its citizens, many of which violated constitutional rights. The biggest measure inflicted on the American population was censorship. The formation of the Committee on Public Information (CPI) and the passing of the Espionage Act and Sedition Amendment stole American’s freedom of speech, created an anti-German sentiment, and led to deportation during the post-war Red Scare.

The Impact WW1 had on a number of countries was great, but what did it

While the war raged on into 1916, the United States transitioned from a “debtors nation” into a “creditors nation”. Between 1913 and 1916 American exports rose from 2 billion dollars annually to 6 billion. (Zieger, 16) While it was clear that the Allies were greatly indebted to the United States Wilson saw the opportunity to the U.S. influence to provoke peace between the warring nations. As American sentiment began rising about expanding an American army, most Americans believed that the United States had a responsibility to bring both sides together and resolve the war.

The main reason for this legislation was to keep the United States isolated from the rest of the world, which many Americans believed would keep us safe from an attack on America. Americans were so afraid of a threat to the country, the United States disregarded one of its most beloved Amendments of the Constitution, the First which gives citizens the freedom of speech.

F). She was convicted for going against the Espionage Act although it was seen unfair by several citizens including Eugene Debs who created a whole speech against it. He was later convicted for violating the Sedition Act. The Sedition Act stated that no American citizen could do anything that went against the United States’ government (Doc. J). Many people were put into prison for violating this despite it being controversial and possibly denying one’s freedom of speech guaranteed in the First Amendment. In addition, propaganda was used in order to support the war. For example, the poster with Uncle Sam and the words “I want you for U.S. Army” was used all over the place (Doc. E). This got citizens to support the war by enlisting in the army. It was an indirect approach that the government used to control the citizens into supporting the war. Also, President Wilson established a law forcing men to enlist in the army (Doc. I). This was a clear way that the government took more control within what American citizens did. It essentially used force to get citizens to support the war that they had entered despite their personal beliefs. The United States’ government became more involved by creating new laws, forcing citizens to support the war.

(Just as a side note, I had pictures of the posters in the original paper but couldn 't transfer them to here. The first link in the bibliography has tons of WW1 propaganda posters you can use.)

If this is hard to believe, the case of Eugene Debs demonstrates how it was done. Debs lectured fellow socialists on the detriments of the draft. In his speech he stated, “The poor, ignorant serfs had been taught to revere their masters; to believe that when their masters declared war upon another, it was their patriotic duty to fall upon one another… The master class has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles… I would rather a thousand times be a free soul in jail than to be a sycophant and coward in the streets”. Debs did just that, this speech cost him ten years in prison. Many would say that he was only speaking his mind, and he should be able to do that, but the government had most power, and they got the final say. Charles Schenck had a similar case. While passing out pamphlets giving men reasons to not join the army, he was arrested and charged with violating the Espionage Act. Again, he was only trying to inform people of the disturbing side of the war.

Do you know that notifying your fellow Americans of their constitutional rights was a Federal crime? Well it was during World War One (WWI). In the case Schenck v. the United States, schenck tried to remind his fellow Americans of their constitutional rights and also let them know that the draft was being used as a form of militarized slavery. This case contained men who his right was taken away after he tried to get the military draftees to fight against the draft. However Congress took his right of speech away when it was arrested and convicted of violating the Espionage Act of 1917. This was the time the WWI one had broken out, the government need men to fight. They were short staffed for that to work and they need man to fight this

When war erupted in Europe in 1914, the US adopted a policy of neutrality and seclusion. This policy was favored by a vast majority of Americans, especially those of German and Irish descent. The people of the United States were drawn from many nations, primarily from the nations at war. The deficiency of public unity was the primary concern when America entered the war on April 6, 1917. The Wilson Administration felt they needed to sway public opinion, because American

Charles T. Schneck wrote a leaflet encouraging people to ignore the draft notices. The making of this leaflet was against the Espionage Act because

In 1917 America entered World War one. By doing this America played a grave role in conquering Germany and ushering peace to Europe. However, the Great War also meant that the US would change dramatically through historical issues and changes which resulted in American society. Industries had started to realise that it was not as simple as it was before to abstract the immigrants. As the country developed and became more successful it attracted outsiders who were searching for chances. During the 1920¡¯s the United States began to confine immigrants due to cultural and economical purposes. The immigrants faced several afflictions such as: racism and religious oppression. The examination of immigration expressed an important

When America entered World War I in 1917 the U.S. Government enforced many measures on its citizens. Some of these measures violated constitutional rights. The biggest measure inflicted on the American population was censorship. The formation of the Committee on Public Information (CPI) and the passing of the Espionage Act and Sedition Amendment

Censorship of war information in the United States between the mid twentieth and early twenty-first centuries has changed drastically. The role, methods and freedom of the media fundamentally changed between World War II and the first Iraq War in the early 2000’s. During World War II, citizens´ options for obtaining information, in general, and especially about the war, was extremely limited. All of these options were heavily controlled and censored accordingly at the Federal government’s discretion. In contrast to this, by the time of the first Iraq War, citizens had many more ways to get information and investigate the status of the war effort. The

This book directly relates to the course “America and the World,” in the sense that it is about propaganda, and the affects it not only had on Americans, but also the impact it had on the rest of the world throughout World War I. The book went into great detail about every aspect of propaganda that took place, in a level I have never heard of before in all of the history courses I have taken. In fact, I have never heard about the Committee on Public Information or the work they did until I read this book. When comparing this book to lectures given in class, it becomes obvious to me that President Wilson, was in fact, very idealistic, and I feel the book only goes to further that argument by stressing just how hard George Creel worked in order

By January 1917 representatives from the German navy convinced the military leadership and Kaiser Wilhelm II that a resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare could help defeat Great Britain within five months. German policymakers argued that they could violate the “Sussex pledge” because the United States was not being neutral (Office of the Historian). In January of 1917, British cryptographers deciphered a telegram from German Foreign Minister Arthur Zimmermann to Mexico, offering United States’ territory to Mexico in return for joining the German cause (Childress). Accordingly, on January 31, 1917, the German Ambassador, Count Johann von Bernstorff, presented U.S. Secretary of State Robert Lansing with a note declaring Germany’s intention to restart unrestricted submarine warfare the following day. Stunned by the news, President Wilson went before Congress on February 3 to announce that he had severed diplomatic relations with Germany (Office of the Historian). Throughout February and March 1917, German submarines targeted and sunk several American ships, and many American passengers and seamen died (Office of the Historian). On February 26, Wilson asked Congress for authority to arm American merchant ships with U.S. naval personnel and equipment.