Great War Effects On America Essay

Effects of the Great War on the United States World War I boasted a unique set of challenges for all nations involved, and drastically changed the way of life for all citizens. Though the war was not fought on American soil, it did heavily impact the nation. In the midst of battles and up until postwar reconstruction, politics and the economy were dynamically evolving due to the war, which also propelled a social reform. The bulk of the impact of the war on the country began in medias re and continued to influence the American way of life for decades after. Social changes inflicted by the war began to manifest first on the homeland. Traditional gender roles were being tested. Women were forced into the workplace to take on men’s jobs as they were drafted overseas. The country had yet to see women working in physically demanding industries, however, they assumed the positions of railroad conductors, cooks, bricklayers, and coal miners. Previously, strenuous jobs were typically reserved for men, while women worked as clerks, secretaries, nannies, and schoolteachers. Without the need for women to fill these roles in the men’s absence, the metamorphosis of gender norms most likely would not have
happened during this era. The war influenced the ongoing journey to gender equality by demonstrating women’s aptitude, eventually allowing women greater equality in the workforce and the right to vote. Towards the end of the war, the influenza epidemic swept across the nation, claiming over 25% of the United States population, and a staggering 30 million people worldwide. Disease was being brought back to America from the troops overseas in Europe. If the United States had not gotten involved in the war by going overseas, the disease would not have made it into the Western hemisphere, or be of such a high infection rate. The influenza epidemic only intensified with the “Great Migration”. As many as 500,000 African Americans migrated to New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia. This exponential increase in people living in concentrated areas in conjunction with poor hygiene spread the disease at alarming rates. Influenza was one of the most devastating effects that WWI had on the United States. The last social influence the war had on America was the rise of violence and tension throughout the country, resulting from the rise of the KKK and the Red Scare. The KKK was a hate group who used the Red Scare as justification to harass ethnic and religious minorities. The Red Scare was a fear of communism that stemmed from communist Russia. Russia attempted to start a worldwide communism phenomenon, which gained steam in the U.S by the birth of a 70,000-member strong communist party. The federal government was on high alert to shut down any communist support and activity in the country. This led to multiple scandals including the arrest and execution of two innocent Italian immigrants, Sacco and Vanzetti, due to suspicions that they were communists. During the war, women played more active roles in the economy. They were recruited into jobs that the men had to leave when they were called into war. Most of these jobs were in munitions factories. With women working and providing goods to our soldiers and economy they gained their right to vote. The 19th amendment was ratified August 18th, 1920. This gave people the right to vote regardless of their gender. The Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919. This treaty attempted to end the war and set rules that the Germans had to follow. These rules included barring Germans from having tanks, an air force, submarines, and an army capsize of 100,000 soldiers. Right-wing Germans thought of the signing as betrayal and assassinated the leaders they held responsible. The United States senate refused to ratify the treaty and took no responsibility in the majority of its provisions. World War I had a massive effect on the economy. Farmers reached their peak success. Metal, shipbuilding, and meatpacking industries profit’s rose over 20% during the war. Minor inflation caused wages to rise, however the prices of goods also rose which neutralized potential profit. As a result of this, household income fell. To limit debt in the war, Americans were encouraged to take out liberty bonds, meaning loaning the bank money and getting paid back at the end of the war along with interest. Liberty bonds were an important way the federal government tried to limit debts due to the war, as a significant reason for entering the war in the first place was that if the allies lost, the United States would lose money. Another effect the war had on the economy was workers began to go on strikes.
During the Boston Police Strike, the Boston Police Department were denied raises to keep up with the inflation that was occurring. Calvin Coolidge called on the National Guard to break up the strike, as the strike was seen as potential communism support. As a result of the strike, all involved were fired and new police were hired. Another strike that became national news was the Steel Mill Strike. Workers demanded to have the opportunity negotiate better wages and working hours, but the U.S Steel Corp denied them chance to talk to anyone about it. This caused a substantial upset and 300,000 people to walk off the job. Strikebreakers were hired and strikers were beaten by police and federal
troops.
Politics and legislature were heavily influenced both during and after the war. To ease post-war tensions, Wilson’s League of Nations came together, albeit the United States was not a member of it due to opposition from the conservative groups in the country. The Treaty of Versailles was established, however it was never ratified by Congress. Europe saw the damaged political and social system in the United States. A significant piece of legislature that was a result from the war was the 19th Amendment, no longer allowing voter discrimination based on sex. This was a milestone for the country, as the social and political progress from the war was being recognized.
The Quota Act of 1921 was another piece of legislature that was adopted after the war. The act put significant limits on immigration. In 1924, it was amended to further restrict immigration, only allowing 2% of the number of that country’s immigrants living in the U.S before 1890. This amendment discriminated against Eastern and Southern Europeans who had fewer natives in the country, because they did not start coming until around 1890.
World War I was unlike any conflict that had happened before. The United States had to work hard to adapt to the new way of life both during and after the war. The Great War influenced every aspect of life. This war was never fought on the country’s land, however this goes to highlight how tremendously the war changed the world and the country.