WW1 - The enemy within Flashcards
What did the war put stresses and strains on?
US society - existing social divisions were intensified.
What new hostility emerged?
Hostility to ‘unreliable foreign elements’. There was fear of revolution and a backlash against socialism.
Describe the years from 1918-20.
They were years of victory but also years of uncertainty and upheavals.
What happened when the USA entered the war in terms of society?
There was a surge of patriotism and questions were raised about the loyalties of diverse nationalities of recent immigrant communities.
Which group became more prominent due to this patriotism ?
‘Nativist’ American citizens became more prominent (e.g. resurgence of KKK in 1915).
What were the demands of the nativist Americans?
Demands to test loyalty of new citizens, to root out ‘aliens’ and to guard against dangers from spies and the ‘enemy within’.
What did Wilson demand?
New powers to keep the nation safe from subversion.
When was the Espionage Act passed and what did it do?
June 1917 (extended in 1918 by Sediton Act) - prohibited many forms of speech, including any disloyal or abusive language about the form of government.
Describe the effects of the Espionage Act. Who was arrested?
1500 prosecutions carried out, 2/3 of them resulting in convictions.
- Eugene Debs (socialist leader) and Emma Goldman (radical feminist, anarchist and pacifist who was deported to Russia on the ‘Red Ark’.)
What were postmaster generals instructed to do?
Keep close watch on suspicious mail.
What happened in october 1918?
New Immigration Act passed, strengthening existing controls against ‘undesirable immigrants especially anarchist suspects.
Describe how this hostile attitude to immigrants had lasting effects.
1921 Emergency Quota Act placed drastic limits on the numbers of immigrants allowed into the US. This act was revised and extended by a new Immigration Act in 1924.
