Naomi Zimmermann
US government during the Great War
The US government found funding in three main sources: liberty bonds, new taxes, and war boards. Liberty bonds were bonds(a loan/contract of debt) sold by the government to Americans. The hope was that the government could receive lots of money during the war to spend and then pay those that had bought bonds back. New taxes were levied on Americans, which were relatively new to them. Corporations received novel income taxes and the person income tax was also created. War boards regulated the economy that focused on the production and transport of wartime materials. Government took control of railroads and food administrations were created to increase the amount of goods that farmers produced. Farm production increased dramatically, as US farms had to feed both American and European Allies’ mouths. Although this growth was conducive to the economy at the time, later it would plunge the farmers in a depression years before the Stock Market Crash as they continued to produce an excess of food, driving prices down.
Other major government projects during the Great War included the War Industries Board(WIB) as well as the National War Labor Board. The WIB oversaw all economic activity that was related to the war and oversaw all other economic war boards. It was run by the major business leaders of America, so it appealed to all of the major corporations. The National War Labor Board worked to create concessions to workers that would prevent worker discontent and strikes. It was vital that workers weren’t striking so that the economy was constantly in full force to produce for the war efforts.
The US government also suspended civil liberties during the Great War. The Committee of Public Information was a major source of propaganda and it regulated newspapers, ensuring that stories that would hinder the war effort weren’t printed. Propaganda released by the committee in order to strengthen the war effort included magazines, posters, pamphlets, press releases, and short speeches gave by “Four Minute Men.”
The actions of the committee infringe upon the Freedom of Speech and Press, and it’s aim was to strengthen the war effort and inspire support for the war from Americans. Other pieces of legislation, most notably the Espionage and Sedition Acts, encouraged American citizens to act as vigilantes for their government and ensure that no “foreign” and “un-American” individuals were spreading ideas that would hinder the war effort.
Sources:
No comments:
Post a Comment