The impact of ww1 Flashcards
What was the red scare
period of hysterical American anti-communism. The first was after the Russian Revolution in 1917.
What was the impact of the red scare
-There was a fear communism would impose on American democratic ideals (multi-party system)
-There was a fear that communism would spread to the USA. These fears were exacerbated in 1919 when the soviets set up comintern to promote revolution and an American communist party was formed
-In 1919 350,000 steel workers went on strike (3600 strikes in total) and press attributed many urban race riots to communist influence of Black Americans.
-Communist ideals went against the American dream of an unregulated economic system
Analysis of impact of the red scare on urban race riots
-The press blamed the steel worker strikes and urban race riots on communism, which showed them labelling social problems as extremists’ ideas. Furthermore, instead of acknowledging the grievances they chose to dismiss them. Contradiction to American dream as they use communism to limit freedoms of disadvantaged groups.
What was prohibition ?
Prohibition was the 18th amendment to the constitution that made it illegal to make, sell or transport alcohol.
How did World War two impact the decision of prohibition and how did it also arguably not impact it?
-Biggest brewing companies (like Pabst) had been set up by Germans, had German names and had been pro-German before the war, so the dries portrayed it as unpatriotic to drink beer.
-patriots believed a food staple like grain should not be wasted on beer during wartime rationing.
-American temperance campaigners linked drunkenness to a range of social problems (communism = fears were heightened
due to hysteria)
Against
-27 states had banned it, so it was already an important political movement ww1 just pushed it to a federal level.
what was the Palmer raids of (Nov 1919 and Feb 1920)
-1919 Anarchist bomb destroyed part of Attorney General A. Mithcell’s palmers house and spread anarchist leaflets across Washington streets.
-Palmer claimed America was on the verge of revolution.
-He arrests 6000 suspected communists and tries to deport them
-556 deserved deportation and only a minority were communist
Analysis of the Palmer raids
-Palmers actions exacerbate the hysteria as he makes it seem more pervasive and dangerous than the reality. Increased anti-immigrant ideas and feelings
How did Hoover increase public desires for the return for the Republicans
Hoover became an international hero for his working aiding civilian victims of war and publicly praised voluntarism but privately campaigned for government aid.
How did Coolidge increase public desires for the rise of the Republicans
-From 1919 Coolidge served on the influential senate foreign relations committee and was a leading critic of joining the league as it would make us defend a country without congressional assent
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