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The War on the Home Front

Propaganda and Forced Cooperation . The War on the Home Front. Committee on Public Information. Realizing war in Europe would mean a total war, Wilson created the CPI to sway public opinion.

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The War on the Home Front

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  1. Propaganda and Forced Cooperation The War on the Home Front

  2. Committee on Public Information • Realizing war in Europe would mean a total war, Wilson created the CPI to sway public opinion. • Headed by George Creel, the committee’s job was to sell the war to the American people, and sell Wilson’s goals to the world.

  3. Propaganda • Across the country and world, Creel sent out 75,000 men to deliver speeches that were pro war. • Propaganda took many forms: • Posters • Movies, such as The Kaiser, Beast of Berlin or To Hell With the Kaiser • Songs, such as Over There

  4. “Over There!” • One of the most popular songs of the era was George Cohan’s propaganda filled Over There! • Over there, Over there • Send the word, send the word, over there! • That the Yanks are coming, the Yanks are coming, the Yanks are coming • The drums rum tumming everywhere!

  5. Anti-German Sentiments • Over 8 million Americans were of German heritage. • As propaganda increased, more Americans became angry at German immigrants. • Orchestras feared playing German music • German classes were cancelled in schools across the country • Sauerkraut became “liberty cabbage” and hamburger “liberty steak”

  6. Escalation of Anti-German Sentiment • Union and socialist rallies became much more scarce. • However, some did still occur • Often times, such rallies were met by pro war activists. • Some cases resulted in tar and feathering anti-war activists • In one extreme case in Illinois, a socialist was lynched.

  7. The Sedition Act and The Espionage Act • Brought back from the administration of John Adams, the Espionage and Sedition Acts were intended to enforce cooperation. • Those suspected of creating movements against America or for Germany could be prosecuted.

  8. New Laws Enforced • Over 1,900 people were prosecuted under these laws • The majority were German sympathizers, socialists and members of the Industrial Workers of the World. • Schneck v. United States; a Supreme Court case in which the court argued people could be censored if they presented a “clear and present danger”

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