World War I had a dramatic impact on Americans. While the United States participated in the Great War for less than two years, over a quarter of the eligible male population fought in the war. Over four million were mobilized. While more soldiers died from disease than combat, over 50,000 men died in the fighting. This left a dramatic hole in the lives of thousands of Americans that lost their loved ones. Its impact was...
World War I had a dramatic impact on Americans. While the United States participated in the Great War for less than two years, over a quarter of the eligible male population fought in the war. Over four million were mobilized. While more soldiers died from disease than combat, over 50,000 men died in the fighting. This left a dramatic hole in the lives of thousands of Americans that lost their loved ones. Its impact was dramatic enough to cause Americans to push for a policy of isolation in foreign affairs that endured for two decades.
Even those that did not serve in combat were important to the war effort. The conversion to a wartime economy virtually eliminated unemployment. It was patriotic to go to work every day in war manufacturing industries. Americans were also asked to help pay for the war through higher taxes, especially for wealthy Americans. Additionally, millions of Americans purchased war bonds, often directly from their paychecks. Other sacrifices that Americans made included rationing, recycling materials, and conserving fuel and energy. The war also afforded women and African-Americans opportunities to work in industries that were not available to them in times of peace. Overall, American participation in World War I affected the entire population in profound ways.
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