TOTAL WAR
CENTER TARGETI can explain what is meant by "total war" and describe some ways Americans were involved in World War I.
|
|
READ ABOUT IT!
Welcome to the Total War Virtual Center. The first thing your group needs to do is read about Total War during World War I. After you read, you need to work together to complete the Total War Page in your Lesson Chronicles.
TOTAL WAR
 British propaganda showing that civilians as well as the military worked together to fight in a total war
World War I is often referred to as the world’s first total war. Total war is when a nation's military and civilians work together to fight in a war by using all of the nation's energy and resources. In total war, everything is at stake and no one is safe. Some of the war was fought on the fronts and some of the war was fought at home. Total war affects every aspect of life in a nation. From the way children ate their breakfast in the morning to the outcome of the national economy, total war meant a national was totally and completely focused on winning a war. THE AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE
 John J. Pershing
When America declared war, President Wilson knew a large army would have to be raised quickly. Six weeks later a new conscription law required all men between 18 and 45 to register for service. Within a few months the U.S. Army grew from 200,000 men to over 4 million, including women for the first time. The American Expeditionary Force, as it was named, was put under the command of John J. Pershing, a general who had served in the Spanish and Mexican Wars.
 This cover design for Collier’s Magazine highlights the bravery and skill of the “dough boys” or infantrymen of the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I.
Most of the “doughboys” arrived in Europe with little to no preparation. The need was urgent to get reinforcements to the battle-weary French and British soldiers. The first A.E.F. divisions arrived in June of 1917, and grew to over a million in less than a year. However, the A.E.F. only participated in two significant battles. Backing up their French and British allies, American soldiers fought in Germany’s last-ditch offensive at the Second Battle of the Marne. German troops tried once again to capture Paris in May of 1918. The Allies, joined by 30,000 fresh American troops, stopped the German advance and pushed them out of St. Mihiel. This was a huge victory, since German control of that town had caused a break in the Allied line, blocking communications between north and south.
 The A.E.F. planning their offensive
General Pershing then took the A.E.F. into their most significant battle called The Meuse-Argonne Offensive, in September 1918. Launching an offensive against German forces, who were running out of supplies, 1.2 million American troops undertook heavy fighting through the rugged Argonne Forest. Death tolls were high; almost 10% of the forces there were killed or wounded. After several weeks of fighting, the German army finally surrendered on November 11, 1918 at 11:00 a.m. World War I was over.
WOMEN AND THE WAR
 Propaganda encouraging women to take jobs while the men were at war
As a “total war” World War I required the participation of all Americans, male and female. A popular slogan of the time, “Labor will win the war,” urged women to leave their homes and go to work in the factories and in the fields. Before the war some women worked outside the home, mostly as house maids or seamstresses in textile mills. But when the U.S. government required men to serve in the military, women were called to step in and fill the jobs the men had left behind.  A woman munitions worker operating a machine in an armaments factory during the First World War
Women worked full-time in factories, building bombs, railroad cars, and operating drill presses. They took jobs as bank tellers, managers, and executives. And for the first time in American history, women were allowed to serve in the armed forces. They drove ambulances on the battlefield and served as secretaries, telephone operators, and nurses caring for the troops.
 Women did all types of jobs including those requiring hard, manual labor
However, with U.S. help, the war soon ended and the soldiers returned home. Some women were happy to leave the factories and other workplaces to return to their homes and children. Others, though, were not so willing to give up their new-found opportunities. Many had become independent and self-sufficient. These women realized their lives could take a different path than their mothers’ and grandmothers’. Regardless of how women felt about “returning to normal,” American society had changed for good. Women knew they had made great contributions to the war effort and were no longer willing to accept their role as the “weaker” sex. A new day was dawning for American women.
FOOD WILL WIN THE WAR
|
TOOL BOX
Important Vocabulary
American Expeditionary Force: the name of the United States Armed Forces sent to Europe in World War I
Caucasian: a white person; a person of European origin conscientious objectors: a person who refuses to fight on religious or moral grounds conscription: a system in which people are required to register for the armed forces of a country daunting: something that tends to make people afraid or less confident because it is very difficult to do or deal with discriminated: when a person or group of people look down on or unfairly treat another person or group of people because they feel like their own group is better or superior in some way doughboys: American soldiers in World War I draft: a system in which people are required to register for the armed forces of a country economy: the way in which a nation uses its resources and how it makes and spends its money industrial infrastructure: the basic buildings, structures, parts, materials, machinery, utilities, and labor needed to run an industry John J. Pershing: the general in the United States Army who led the American Expeditionary Forces to victory over Germany from 1917 - 1918 legal institution: a custom, practice, or requirement that does not go against the law offensive: attacking an enemy propaganda: an idea or statement that is either false or exaggerated and is spread in order to help a political cause, a political leader, or a government rationing system: when the government only allows a person or group of people to have a set amount of something each day for a certain length of time reinforcements: people and supplies that are sent to help or support an army or military force in a conflict, battle, or war Selective Service Act: a law that required all men between the ages of 21 and 30 to register for the military reserves national lottery during World War I self-sufficient: capable of working a job to provide for one's own needs without help from others servitude: the condition of being a slave or of having to obey another person surrendered: to agree to stop fighting, hiding, resisting, etc., because you know that you will not win or succeed tenacity: the state of being strong or stubborn and very determined to do something The Meuse-Argonne Offensive: an Allied offensive led by John J. Pershing and the American Expeditionary Force against Germany, that led to Germany's surrender in World War I total war: when a nation's military and civilians work together to fight in a war by using all of the nation's energy and resources U.S. Food Administration: a government agency under the direction of Herbert Hoover that worked to get food to U.S. and Allied troops fighting in World War I U.S. Fuel Administration: a government agency during World War I that worked to produce and conserve coal and oil during World War I U.S. Treasury Department: the department of the U.S. government in control of producing and distributing money, bonds, and notes victory gardens: planting and growing small gardens for home use so that commercially farmed products can be saved for the soldiers fighting in a war war bonds: loans to the federal government that the government will repay you in the future with a small amount of interest war-ravaged: a place that is torn apart or destroyed by a battle or war |
|
Unlike the European countries, Hoover did not want America have a rationing system. He relied instead on volunteerism and patriotism to meet his goals. Using widespread propaganda, including posters, billboards, magazines, movies, and other materials, he was able to pile up huge stores of food. He asked Americans to abide by wheat-less Wednesdays and meatless Tuesdays in order to save food for export. Citizens were encouraged to plant victory gardens to grow their own food and save the nations’ supply for overseas.
Pictured right: Propaganda encouraging people to grow victory gardens
|
|
|
Hoover’s approach worked very well as Americans enthusiastically answered his calls for sacrifice. Food production of American farms increased 25% and exports tripled. His methods and propaganda were imitated by other government agencies such as the U.S. Fuel Administration and the U.S. Treasury Department in their quest to save fuel and raise money through the sale of war bonds and other wartime fundraising measures.
Pictured left: Propaganda from the U.S. Fuel Administration encouraging miners to mine more coal.
|
THE DRAFT
Notice of the draft
What does a country do when it's getting ready to go to war? Obviously weapons and uniforms are needed, but the most important part is the manpower. Many men volunteer at the start of a war, but what about later on? The passionate fire of patriotism can start to burn low when a war drags on. What is a country to do then? The answer is conscription or the draft.
When the United States joined the Allies in 1917, they had no supplies stockpiled and no industrial infrastructure for producing war materials. Even the military leadership was unsure of what they would need in manpower and equipment.
A month after war was declared, President Wilson signed a new draft bill which put the Selective Service Act in place. The Selective Service Act was a national program that was run on the local level. These local boards did a good job and soon showed that the weakness was not in the supply of men, but in the supply of equipment.
When the United States joined the Allies in 1917, they had no supplies stockpiled and no industrial infrastructure for producing war materials. Even the military leadership was unsure of what they would need in manpower and equipment.
A month after war was declared, President Wilson signed a new draft bill which put the Selective Service Act in place. The Selective Service Act was a national program that was run on the local level. These local boards did a good job and soon showed that the weakness was not in the supply of men, but in the supply of equipment.
What is the illustrator of this political cartoon think of conscientious objectors?
Not everyone who wanted to serve was allowed, even though the law provided for it. Many who could have served, refused as conscientious objectors. These men were often given non-combat jobs. Many African-Americans were barred from participating as Caucasian soldiers could. Eventually, they were allowed to form their own units. Through their courage and tenacity, they proved those who had discriminated against them wrong.
In 1918, the Supreme Court upheld conscription as a legal institution. Some thought of it as forced servitude, but the court said it was not. It was the right of Congress to raise and support an army to defend the country. However, it was also the right of objectors to voice their opinions. Whichever side of the war a person might have been on, the need for men to fight for the freedoms of others was clear. Conscription of soldiers was not universally supported, but it provided the manpower to win the war.
ANALYZE IT!
In today's Analyze It Activity, you will do several mini activities to learn explore the many ways Americans worked to fight in World War I. Read the directions for each mini-activity. Complete this section in your Lesson Chronicles.
PART 1: THE MEUSE-ARGONNE OFFENSIVE INTERACTIVE
The first activity is the Meuse-Argonne Offensive Interactive. In this activity, you will click on the icon below and explore an interactive simulation of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. You and a partner will work together to complete a scavenger hunt in your Lesson Chronicles. You will need to click on various parts of the map to find the information for the hunt. Make sure you read the information in the interactive. Some of this will be in your mission check!
PART 2: MOVIE TIME!
The second activity is the Women in World War I Video Clip Analysis. In this activity, you will click on the icons below and watch two video clips. Make sure to wear your headphones. You and a partner will work together to complete the analysis questions in your Lesson Chronicles.
|
|
PART 3: Evaluating the Conscientious Objector
The third activity involves evaluating two real life accounts of conscientious objectors. In this activity, you will read two different accounts. You can use the speak function on your computer to read it to you but you must use your headphones. You and a partner will work together to complete the evaluation questions in your Lesson Chronicles.
|
|
PART 4: War by Numbers
The fourth activity is analyzing how the numbers in World War I impacted American lives. With a partner, use the table below to answer the question in your Lesson Chronicles.
PROVE IT!
You just learned about Total War during World War I. Now you need to show off what you know. Complete the Center Check by clicking on the Center Check Icon below and answering the questions.
CENTER COMPLETE!
You have completed the Total War Virtual Center. Click on the button below to go back to the Lesson 3 - America Enters World War I.