John Pershing--USAlvin York

Henry Johnson

• Henry Johnson won the Croix de Guerre (Cross of War) for his bravery in WWI• This medal was awarded to him by the French Army

• Originally a conscientious objector• Alvin York killed 25 & captured 132 prisoners • Became a celebrity after the war

• John “Blackjack” Pershing led the American Expeditionary Force • Believed in aggressive combat• Helped stop the German advance at Cantigny

War Becomes Big Business• Since the entire economy had to be reorganized for war, cooperation between the government & business was essential

• President Wilson was allowed to fix prices and regulate certain war industries

President Woodrow Wilson

Daylight Savings, Taxes, and Liberty Bonds (01:04)

War Industries Board• Led by Bernard Baruch• Encouraged mass production & increased efficiency

War Economy• Americans rationed different goods depending on the day of the week• “Gospel of the Clean Plate”

Committee on Public Information: Propaganda Agency (01:51)

Propaganda Plays Key Role• Committee on Public Information– set up to popularize the war• Led by former muckraker, George Creel• Thousands of posters, paintings, cartoons, millions of pamphlets, booklets produced to spread message of why US was at war• Effective campaign• Developed hatred toward opponents of the war & certain ethnic groups

Anti- German Sentiment People with German names lost their jobs• No Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, Brahms• Towns changed names• Books by German authors eliminated from certain libraries, people stop speaking the language, street names changed• Pretzels taken off counters!!• Violence against German- Americans• “Liberty measles,” “Salisbury steak,” “liberty cabbage,” & “liberty pups”

African Americans & The Great War• WEB Du Bois believed Af. Am. should support war– hoped contributing to war effort would lead to change• Upon returning home, Af. Am. soldiers were frustrated with continued segregation & inequality• Fought for “freedom” but not receiving it at home

Harlem Hellfighters

Great Migration•Thousands of African Americans moved from the South to urban areas in the North in search of better jobs, discrimination• Racism existed in the North too

Women’s Role:•Took jobs held by men• Volunteered w/ Red Cross• Sold liberty bonds• Boosted suffrage movement

Flu Epidemic

•25% of the population got the flu•Businesses shut down to keep it from spreading• Death came in a matter of days• 500,000 Americans died from the epidemic in 1918• Killed ~ 30 million worldwide• Suddenly disappeared