World War I: The United States -- Conscription and Age of Soldiers


Figure 1.--Here we have a photograph taken in 1918 of boys from Batesville High School, Batesville Ohio showing up to enlist in the Army. The photograph taken by J. R. Lewis. IKt was probablyu taken in front of the U. S. Post office but cannot say for sure. The yuouths across the back rows are older and have long faces so I believe that they just signed up. On each end are U. S. Army officers in full dress. Across the front are younger boys who came to cheer their schoolmates on. The boys in the center are holding a Batesville High School banner and the American flag. Click on the image for an detail enlrgement.

Presiden Wilson after his reelection (November 1916) decided to use American economic power to end the War. The Allies were neogtisting loans fron New York banks to finance 1917 operations. When the Allies showed little interest, the President order the Sectetary of the Treasury, Williams Gibbs NcAdoo, to limit the process (December 1917). The German Embassy knew about this and reportec it to Berlin. The German Government, however, decided on a military sollution. President Willson asked Congress to declare war (April 2). The United States declared war on Germany (April 6, 1917). The President was not fully aware of the situation on the Western Front. He was hopeful that America's economic power and the exidting Regular Army (about 0.1 million) expanded with volunteers and the National Guard couls win the War. Emisaries from the Allies soon made it clear that a large American Army was desperately needed. Many would enlist after the declaration of War, but Wilson soon realized that raising an army of the size needed in France required a draft. Even before the Selective Service Acy was passed, the Army began secretly printing registration cards. They were mailed to sheriffs ttroughout the country as draft boards had not yet been established. The President proposed the draft, suggesting that it was needed so that "shirkers" play their part. Wilson had a strong Democratic majority in Congress and was able to persuade the needed number to pass the selective service legislation. Congress passed the Selective Service Act of 1917 or (Pub.L. 65–12, 40 Stat. 76) and it was enacted (May 18, 1917). It authorized the the Federal Government to raise a national army for service in World War I through conscription. The first draft was for all men between the ages of 21 and 30 (June 5, 1917). A third draft, expanbed that to men age 18 through 45 (September 12, 1918). Given the historical tradition and the widespread resistance to ntering the War, there was surprisingly little opposition in America. The draft was long established in the major bligerant powers, except Britain. in a few countries it proved controversial, primarily Australia and Canada. President Wilson announced that men who failed to register would be arrested and subject to 1 year in prison (June 1). Newspapers carried reports of arrests of persons trying to leave the United States to avoid the draft (June 2-4). Many recruiters were not real diligent about determining a youth's age unless he looked particularly young. And at gthe time documentation was not as available as is the case today. The minmimuum age for volunteers was we believe 17 years of age. (needs to be confirmed.) Some state National Guards accepted younger individuals. But depending on looks younger individuals could be accpted. Eventually about 24 million men registered for the draft. This was largely in a volunteer basis as the Federal Government at ghe time did not ave the reach and statiical records allowing them to comple an exhsustive list of the population. A minority of those civilian men who registered was ever actually selected (called up) for military service. About two-thirds of the Americn Wotkd War I military would be conscripts.

Wilson and the War

World War I broke out during President Wilson's first term (August 1914). From the beginning, ghe German invasion of neutral Belgium dramtically changed how Americans viewed imperil Germany. The president took some peace making steps. The Germans did not take him seriously and basically ignored him. The British took America seriously. They hoped for American intervention, but in gthe mean time, the United States was an important sioyrce of supplies and financing from private banks. They istened attentively, but had no intention of making peace with the Germans holding large swaths of Allied territory (Belgium, France, and Tsarist Russia). A German U-boat sank the British iner RMS Lusitani with great loss of life, including many prominent Americns. There was huge outcry bin the American opress. This almost resulted in American entry (May 1915). President Wilson demanded Germany end unrestricted sunmarinme warfare. Kaiser Wilhelm relucatntly complied. Largely becuse of keeping America out of the War, the President narrowly won reelction (November 1916). Presiden Wilson after his reelection (November 1916) decided to use American economic power to end the War. The Allies were neogtisting loans fron New York banks to finance 1917 operations. When the Allies showed little interest, the President order the Sectetary of the Treasury, Williams Gibbs NcAdoo, to limit the process (December 1917). The German Embassy knew about this and reported it to Berlin. The German Government, however, decided on a military sollution and resumed unlimited submarine warfare.

American Declaration of War (April 1917)

Germany by 1917 had destroyed its imge with bthe American oublic. A combination of Germn brutslity and British propaganda had prepared the American public for war. Germany had been engaged in sabatoge in America for some time. Then the Zimmermann Telegram stunned America. Germany's announcement that it was resuminhg unrestricted submarine arfare was the final straw. The U.S. Senate after 2 days of debate voted 82 to 6 to declare war (April 4). The vote was testimony to the extent to which German actions had undermined the striong pacifist sentiment. Two days later, the U.S. House of Representatives vote 373 to 50 to declare war on Germany (April 6). Given the extent of public sentiment against entering the War, the bipartisan support for declting war was stunning. Tribute to the incredible miscalutation of the Kaiser and his government.

Lack of Preparation

Declaring war was one step. Actually waging war was a very different matter. President Wilson's before asking for a declaration of war had taken no steps to prepare for war. The Wilson Administration had done nothing to begin arms production to equip a large army that could be sent to France. His injterest was helping to arrange a negotisted end to the War, not in entering the War. Despite 3 years of bitter combat and imense advances in weaponry, the U.S. Army had not devloped modern wepons of its own. Nor did the the United States have a substantial arms industry that coulkd prioduce weapons in quantuity. But the Allies did not need weaponry. They needed men. But here again the United States did not have a trained force in being. And nothing had been done by the Wilson Administration to train and create the large force needed. Some chganges were made with militia forces (1916) which were now called the Nationl Guard, but they were in now way trained or euipped for war.

Selective Service Act (May 1917)

The President was not fully aware of the situation on the Western Front. He was hopeful that America's economic power and the existing Regular Army (about 0.1 million) expanded with volunteers and the National Guard could win the War. Emisaries from the Allies soon made it clear that a large American Army was desperately needed. Many would enlist after the declaration of War, but Wilson soon realized that raising an army of the size needed in France required a draft. Even before the Selective Service Acy was passed, the Army began secretly printing registration cards. They were mailed to sheriffs ttroughout the country as draft boards had not yet been established. The President proposed the draft, suggesting that it was needed so that "shirkers" play their part. Wilson had a strong Democratic majority in Congress and was able to persuade the needed number to pass the selective service legislation. Congress passed the Selective Service Act of 1917 or (Pub.L. 65–12, 40 Stat. 76) and it was enacted (May 18, 1917). It authorized the the Federal Government to raise a national army for service in World War I through conscription. Gen. Pershing arrived in France (June 13, 1917). He was immediately besieged by despeaate pleas for men to bolster the Western Front.

The Draft

The first draft was for all men between the ages of 21 and 30 (June 5, 1917). A third draft, expanded that to men age 18 through 45 (September 12, 1918).

Volunteers

Many recruiters were not real diligent about determining a youth's age unless he looked particularly young. And at the time documentation was not as available as is the case today. Only a limited number of people had drivers licenses, passports, or even birth certificates. Most people did nor carry ny form of identifuication. The minmimuum age for volunteers was we believe 17 years of age. (Needs to be confirmed.) Some state National Guards accepted younger individuals. But depending on looks younger individualds were accpted.

Manpower

ventually about 24 million memn registered for the draft. A minority of those civilian men who registered was ever actually selected (called up) for military service. Over a milliomn men would be sent to France as part of the Anmerican Expeditionary Force (AEF). Although oinly parially trained, they would play a key role in cracking the Western Front wide open. Especially dishearteniong for the Geramns is that another million were being prepred to come over and that was hardly denting the manpower available in America.

Opposition

Given America's historical tradition and the widespread resistance to entering the War, there was surprisingly little opposition to Wilson's declaration of War. Conscription was long established in the major beligerant powers, except Britain. In the British Dominions (Australia and Canada) conscription proved controversial. President Wilson announced that men who failed to register would be arrested and subject to 1 year in prison (June 1). Newspapers carried reports of arrests of persons trying to leave the United States to avoid the draft (June 2-4). Very few Americans questioned the draft. There were court cases brought to question the Constitutionality of the Selective Service Act. The Act was upheld by the United States Supreme Court in the Selective Draft Law Cases, 245 U.S. 366 (1918). The most important case was Arver vs. United States. Georgia populist and arch segregationist Tom Watson had the huzpah to base a challenge to the 13th Amendment, maintaing that the draft was 'involuntary servitude'. There were also claims based on the 1st and 14th Amndment. Others maintaining that only a militia was authorized in the Constitution and there was nmo mntion of an army. The strongest argument in favor of the draft was that the Constitutin does give the Federal Government the authortity to wage war. And thus it us implied the authority to take the steps needed to wage successful war. President Roosevelt issued a general amnesty (1933). It as worded to exclude the most famous draft dogger, rich boy Grover Bergdoll, who was hiding out in Germany.

Sources

Capozzola, Christoopher. Uncle Sam Wanhts You: World War I and the Making of the Modern American Citizen.








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Created: 6:10 AM 12/21/2004
Last updated: 1:28 AM 8/15/2019