Summary Of David Kennedy's Over Here

David Kennedy’s Over Here: The First World War and American Society demonstrates Americans connection to global society. President Wilson “called the newly elected 65th Congress into special session on April 2 to receive his war message.” Wilson’s message would impact America socially, economically, and politically; that would continue to influence America throughout the twentieth century. Wilson presented to Congress four proposals on how America was to wage war: a bold tax program, a compulsory draft of young men into the nation’s service, “for the enforced loyalty of all Americans in a cause to which many were indifferent or openly hostile, and, by implication, at least,” and the expansion of presidential powers.
There are several social implication that were affected by these four proposals, mainly centering on the immigration

population.

Kennedy points out that “according to the census of 1910, one of every three Americans in that year had either been born abroad or had at least one parent born abroad. Of those 32 million persons from families with close foreign ties, more than ten million derived from the Central Powers.” Many immigrants still supported their Old Country; German agents had committed acts of sabotage to prevent the delivery of war materials to the Allies during the American neutrality period, 1914-1917, causing Wilson to expel German representatives from the country. Wilson (and others) believed American disloyalty was prevalent within the immigrant population, and in 1915 and 1916 launched attacks “against so-called hyphenated Americans. “There are citizens of the United States, I blush to admit,” Wilson told the Congress in his third annual message, “born under other flags but welcomed under our generous naturalization laws to the full freedom and opportunity of America,

who have poured the poison of disloyalty into the very arteries of our national life … Such creature of passion, disloyalty, and anarchy must be crushed out … [T]he hand of our power should close over them at once.” In an effort to suppress disloyalty, Wilson supported “100 percent Americanism,” to eliminate hyphenated Americans, for example German-American and Irish-Americans, by eliminating old traditional ethnic and religious barriers and sponsoring nationalism and Americanization. An example of these efforts is demonstrated by The Committee for Immigrants in American and the Bureau of Education collaboration of the “War Americanization Plan that sponsored English and citizenship classes in schools, community halls, and factories.”
The disloyalty question is just one of the many social discussion Kennedy presents in Over Here. He provides detailed analysis on the cost of war, how funds were raised, who were affected by the tax proposals, and the creation and sale of “Liberty Bonds.” The formation of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) through the conscription draft, presented several social problems both at home and abroad. There was Congressional objection to the formation of a national army, most believed in providing funds, ammunition, and food to the Allies, but not men. The addition of black men in the draft, the racial problems that occurred and the “black question” of whether to integrate or segregate. Volunteerism, those wanting to fight but were still required at home on the farms and all areas of industry – factories, mines, and railroads. This sparked the exemption policy debate, of those needed at home and those able to join, but later expanded to whether married men should remain at home with their families. Conscientious objectors became a problem, resulting in the formation of boards to decide whether individual would be exempted or not. Finally, the debate on the utilization of the AEF, amalgamation or not. The Allies wanted to incorporate American units in their own units and under their leadership, but General Pershing wanted to maintain a separate unit under his total control and not to engage in battle until he possessed the strength to overwhelm the enemy.
Presidential power is another area Kennedy discusses in-depth that had extensive social implication. Following the declaration of war, the Espionage Act was enacted into law, suppressing those who opposed the war by granting governmental powers in the “punishment of any interference with the activities of the armed services, including recruitment; and control of the mails to prevent their use for the dissemination of allegedly treasonable material.” The Lever Food and Fuel Act created the Food Administration and allowed the President to control wheat and fuel prices, ultimately at higher prices that benefited farmers and corporations in the coal and oil industries. The Overman Act gave “the President great discretionary authority to reorganize executive agencies without consulting Congress in each case.” In the long run these Acts helped in the war effort that some can view as successful, but later Wilson was “increasingly condemned for this highhanded and “dictatorial” behaviors.”