The American Home Front. Revolutionary War, Civil War, World War 1, World War 2

236 Pages·2013·13.84 MB·English

THE
AMERICAN
HOME FRONT
EVOLLJTIbNARY )VAR1
CIVIL WAR
0-WORLD WARX,
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HOME FRONT
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THE AMERICAN
HOME FRONT
REVOLUTIONARY WAR
CIVIL WAR
WORLD WAR I
WORLD WAR II
by
James L. Abrahamson
1983
A National Defense University Military History
1 1.0i stpriubbultiico n i1 e u's loZd s: .
National Defense University Press
Fort Lesley J. McNair
Washington, DC 20319
S-.
Opinions. conclusions, and recommendations expressed or implied within
are solely those -of the author. and do not necessar.y represen, the views of
the National Defense University. the Department of Defense, or any other
government agency. Cleared for public release: distrtbution unlimited.
The final manuscript of this book was copyedited under contract by
Benjamin V. Mast.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 83-600506
Many of the tables and figures in this volume arc, protecced by copyright.
Permission to reproduce. quote, or extract copyrighted material contained
herein should be obtained directly from the copyright owner.
This book is for sale by the Superintendent of Dxuments. US Govern-
ment Printing Office. Washington, DC 20402. Facsimile copies may be pur-
chased from the following agencies: Registered users should contact the Defense
Technical Information Center. Cameron Station. Alexandria, Virginia 22314.
The general putlic should contact the National Technical Information Service.
5285 Port Royal Road. Springfield. Virginia 22161.
__\
To Marigold
4
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CONTENTS
Forew ord .............................. ............................. xi
Pr eface ............................................................... x iii
T he A uthor .......................................................... xv
Acknowledgrnent ........ .......................................... XvIi
WAR AND SOCIETY IN AMERICA: SOME QUESTIONS ..... I
1. THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION ........................... 5
The Price of War ................................................ 6
A Revolutionary Society at War .................................. 8
The Revolutionary Economy ..................................... 22
.1The Politics of Mobilization ..................................... 26
The Political Consequences of War ............................. 31
2. THE CIVIL WAR............... ................. 43
The Northern Economy at War ................................... 44
The Collapse of the Southern Economy .......................... 52
Southern M obilization ...... ..................................... 56
Southern Politics ................................................. 60
Northern Politics ................................................. 61
Mobilizing the Union for War .................................... 67
Civil War and American Society ................................ 71
Organizing the Nation ........................................... 83
3. WO RLD W AR I ................................................ 87
Neutrality: Prelude to Mobilization .............................. 88
Workingmen, Workingwomen, and the European War ........... 94
Mobilizing the American Economy ............................... 101
A D ivided Public ................................................. 112
Mobilizing Public Opinion ....................................... 116
Roots of Social Tension .......................................... 123
An Uncertain Economic Future .................................. 126
Political Upheaval ............................................... 127
vii
F-(cid:127)
viii CONTENTS
4. WORLD WAR II ............................................... 131
Controlling the Wartime Economy ............................... 133
The Economic C.nsequences of Total War ....................... 148
Liberal Reform and Total War ................................... 155
The Politics of Total Wa" . ........................................ 165
WAR AND SOCIETY IN AMERICA: A FEW ANSWERS ....... 171
Notes ............................... . ................... ... 177"
G lossary of Acronym s .. ............................................ 219
In d ex ................................................................. 22 1
,\I
iL
FIGURES AND TABLES
Figures
1.1 Index of W holesale Prices, 1774-1785 ......................... 7
1.2 Depreciation of Continental Currency. 1777-1781 ........... 30
2.1 Production of Pig Iron and Rails, 1860-1870 .................. 50
2.2 Southern Agricultural Capital, 1850-1880 ...................... 54
3.1 Tractors on American Farms. 1914-,920 ..................... 94
3.2 Price and Wage Trends. 1914-1921 ............................ 100
3.3 General Wholesale Prices and Prices of Selected Basic
Commodities. 1914-1918 ...................................... 109
4.1 Price and Wage Trends. 1939-1949 ............................ 154
Tables
1.1 Southern Exports to England and Scotland, 1769-1778 ........ 23
1.2 Emissions of Continental Currency. 1773-1779 ................ 29
2.1 Annual Export of Pork, Beef. Corn, and Wheat Products,
1860- 1865 ..................................................... 45
2.2 US Imports and Exports, 1860-1865 ........................... 47
2.3 Sales of Reapers and Mowers, 1862-1865 .................... 49
2.4 US Output and Decennial Rates of Change. 1849-1889 ....... 51
2.5 Southern Agricultural Production. 1860-1866 ................. 52
2.6 Indicators of Southern Manufacturing, 1850-1880 ............. 56
"2.7 Average Annral Prices, 1861-1865 ..................... 68
2.8 United States Immigration. 1820-1860 .................. 74
3.1 American Fo"eign Commerce, 1913-1921 .................... 89
Y-4- 3.2 Gross National Product. 1914-1918 ........................... 90
3.3 Indices of Industrial Production, 1914-1918 ................... 92
3.4 Farm Profits and Production Index, 1914-1921 ............. 93
3.5 Production and Average Annual Prices of Selected Farm Products.
19 14- !91 8 .............. ...................................... 95
ix
L
_ _ _
~ ~ ~
.~~~~ . ...................
x FIGURES AND TABLES
3.6 Number o- Vomen per One Thouand Employees in 474 Firms
D,ý- :i W ar W ork, 1916-1919 .................................. 96
3.7 :t, .,xrial Wages and Living Costs, 1913-1921 ................ 98
S Strik.±s and Lockouts, 1914-1919 ...................... 99
3.9 Index of Ar.nual Earnings in Selected Occupations. 1913-1921 110
3.10 Ethnic Americans in 1910 ...................................... 114
4.1 Federa. Civilian Employment, September 1939-July 1945 ..... 133
4.2 Output of Selected tcarm Products, 1939-1945 ................. 138
4.3 Gross National Product and Federal Finances, 1939-1946 ..... 139
,- 4 Wartin-, Work Stoppages, 1940-1946 ......................... 144
4.' Volume of Interci, Freight Traffic, 1939-1945 ................ 146
4.,, 0 .wut of %'PlectedI ndustries, , .-,9 945 ................ 149
4 -1 of Select.;d Farm Prices, 1939-1945 ..................... 153
4. Black Interregiunal Migration, 1920-1950 ................. 162
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FOREWORD
This latest National Defense University military history seeks to broaden
the prspective of those who are interested in understanding the effects of the
wartime mobilization of American society. Through a comparative analysis
of the economic, political, and social results of America's foar principal wars,
this study reveals the major issues faced by each wartime administration and
sketches the consequences of the mobiiization policies adopted.
As the author nIjies L. Abrja . U&4mi.'explains, each
conflict occurred in unique circumstances, required varied policies, and pro-
duced different effects on American institutions. He therefore avoids off-,ring
a simplistic list of the expected domestic consequences of any future conflict.
Nevertheless, certain common factors, which may inform modem mobili-
zation planners, surface in his analysis of these four wars. The author suggests
that if planners are aware of the implications of their mobilization choices,
they can better devise effective policies for drawing forth the material 3nd
human essentials of victory.,,.
The National Defense University is pleased to have ho"e d CGionel Abra-
harnsou as a Visiting Senior Research Fellow from the US Military Academy
history faculty, so that he might research and write this instructive historical
study. Studies such as this may help us all better understand the potential
societal effects on the American home frowt should any future crisis again
reoui- ..nenica to go to war.
John S. Pustay
Lieutenant General. US Air Force
President. Nati-onal Defease
University
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