America Struggles with Post-America Struggles with Post-War IssuesWar Issues

Chapter 12: Sec 1Chapter 12: Sec 1

Fear of CommunismFear of Communism The Red ScareThe Red Scare

– 1919: Communist 1919: Communist rebels take over rebels take over Russian governmentRussian government

– Communist Party Communist Party formed in the U.S.formed in the U.S.

– Had major influence in Had major influence in the labor movement of the labor movement of the early 20the early 20thth century century

Communist Fears Communist Fears RealizedRealized– The Palmer RaidsThe Palmer Raids– Sacco and Vanzetti TrialSacco and Vanzetti Trial

Nicola Sacco & Bartolomeo Nicola Sacco & Bartolomeo VanzettiVanzetti

2 Italian men who were famous 2 Italian men who were famous victims of the nativism attitudevictims of the nativism attitude

May 1920: Found guilty of murder – May 1920: Found guilty of murder – sentenced to death.sentenced to death.– Asserted innocenceAsserted innocence– Provided alibisProvided alibis– Evidence circumstantialEvidence circumstantial

How did the Justice Dept. How did the Justice Dept. under A. Mitchell Palmer under A. Mitchell Palmer

respond to this fear?respond to this fear?

Palmer RaidsPalmer RaidsHired J. Edgar Hoover to Hired J. Edgar Hoover to

lead the lead the ““Anti-radicalAnti-radical”” divisiondivision

Targeted Communists, Targeted Communists, Socialists & AnarchistsSocialists & Anarchists

Limiting ImmigrationLimiting Immigration The Klan Rises AgainThe Klan Rises Again

– Devoted to Devoted to ““100% 100% AmericanismAmericanism””

– Reached 4.5 million by Reached 4.5 million by 19241924

– Believed in keeping blacks Believed in keeping blacks ““in their placein their place””

– Second Klan also targeted Second Klan also targeted Roman Catholics, Jews, and Roman Catholics, Jews, and other foreign born peoplesother foreign born peoples

Quota System (1921)Quota System (1921)– Devised to attempt to Devised to attempt to

control number of control number of immigrants arriving in U.S.immigrants arriving in U.S.

– Aimed at immigrants from Aimed at immigrants from Southern and Eastern Southern and Eastern EuropeEurope

– 1919-1921: Number of 1919-1921: Number of immigrants rose almost immigrants rose almost 600% from 141,000 to 600% from 141,000 to 805,000805,000

Immigration Trends 1921-Immigration Trends 1921-19291929

Time of Labor and UnrestTime of Labor and Unrest

Labor Problems in 1919

The Boston Police Strike

The Steel Mill Strike

The Coal Miner’s Strike

Labor Movement Loses Labor Movement Loses AppealAppeal

Much of the Much of the workforce consisted workforce consisted of immigrants of immigrants willing to work in willing to work in poor conditionspoor conditions

Difficult to organize Difficult to organize due to multitude of due to multitude of spoken languagesspoken languages

Migrating farmers Migrating farmers used to relying on used to relying on themselvesthemselves

Most unions Most unions excluded African excluded African AmericansAmericans

The Harding Presidency and the Business of The Harding Presidency and the Business of AmericaAmerica

Chapter 12: Sec 2-3Chapter 12: Sec 2-3 President Warren G. President Warren G.

HardingHarding– Served from 1921-23Served from 1921-23– Wanted to return Wanted to return

America to a state of America to a state of ““normalcynormalcy””

– Exercised poor Exercised poor judgment while judgment while trying to influence trying to influence international peace international peace and domestic and domestic economic stability economic stability

Harding Struggles for PeaceHarding Struggles for Peace

Sec. of State Charles Sec. of State Charles Evans Hughes Evans Hughes proposes that the five proposes that the five international powers international powers reduce their number reduce their number of warshipsof warships

Kellogg Briand Pact Kellogg Briand Pact (1928)(1928)

Agreement signed by Agreement signed by fifteen nations that fifteen nations that renounced war as a renounced war as a national policynational policy

Could not be Could not be enforced; did not enforced; did not curb military build-curb military build-ups that led to WWIIups that led to WWII

HardingHarding’’s Financial Blunderss Financial Blunders

European Allies owe $10 European Allies owe $10 billion to U.S. after WWIbillion to U.S. after WWI– Must be able to export Must be able to export

products for profit to products for profit to repay their debtrepay their debt

Fordney McCumber Fordney McCumber Tariff (1922)Tariff (1922)– Raised taxes on imports Raised taxes on imports

by 60%by 60%– Hurt European businesses Hurt European businesses

because Americans because Americans werenweren’’t buying their t buying their productsproducts

– Made it virtually Made it virtually impossible to repay their impossible to repay their debtsdebts

HardingHarding’’s Financial Blunders s Financial Blunders cont…cont…

C.G. Dawes arranges $2.5 billion loan from U.S. to Germany to repay Britain and France

Britain and France use money to repay the United States

French troopsmarch on Germanywhen they defaulted on reparation payment

In the end the U.S. was repaid with its own money!!

Dawes Plan

Scandal Hits HardingScandal Hits Harding’’s s AdministrationAdministration

Ohio GangOhio Gang Corrupt politicians who were part of Corrupt politicians who were part of

HardingHarding’’s cabinets cabinet Were involved in many bribes and Were involved in many bribes and

scandals while serving in presidential scandals while serving in presidential cabinet positionscabinet positions

Embarrassed the administration and Embarrassed the administration and efforts of the Harding presidencyefforts of the Harding presidency

Teapot Dome ScandalTeapot Dome Scandal

Sec. of the Interior Albert Sec. of the Interior Albert Hall arranged for Federal Hall arranged for Federal oil reserves to be sold to a oil reserves to be sold to a private companyprivate company

He received a $400,000 He received a $400,000 kick-backkick-back

Became first American to Became first American to be convicted of bribery be convicted of bribery while holding a cabinet while holding a cabinet postpost

1923: Pres Harding has 1923: Pres Harding has stroke / heart attack and stroke / heart attack and dies suddenlydies suddenly

President Harding Dies in President Harding Dies in OfficeOffice

1923: Harding suffers 1923: Harding suffers stroke / heart attack stroke / heart attack and diesand dies

V.P. Calvin Coolidge V.P. Calvin Coolidge assumes presidencyassumes presidency– Former Massachusetts Former Massachusetts

that gained fame for that gained fame for ending the Boston ending the Boston Police StrikePolice Strike

Pres. Coolidge finishes Pres. Coolidge finishes HardingHarding’’s term of s term of office and is elected office and is elected president in 1924president in 1924