Postwar Turmoil

Section 8.1

Today’s Agenda

• Return Test

• 8.1 slide show

• Homework

• Read 8.1

• Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of

War (1949)• Article 3 • ‘Prohibits’• (a) Violence to life and person, in

particular murder of all kinds, mutilation, cruel treatment and torture;

• (c) Outrages upon personal dignity, in particular, humiliating and degrading treatment;

• (d) The passing of sentences and the carrying out of executions without previous judgment pronounced by a regularly constituted court affording all the judicial guarantees which are recognized as indispensable by civilized peoples.

• Amendment VIII (1791)

• Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

Iraq Invades Kuwait

On January 17, 1990 the United States used its vastly superior military might to end the Iraqi

occupation of Kuwait.

After the US built an airbase in Saudi Arabia, radical Muslims led by Osama Bin Laden began

to attack America.

Khobar Towers, near Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, June 25, 1996.

In 1998, US embassies in Kenya and Nairobi were simultaneously attacked by suicide bombers from al Qaeda.

On October 12, 2000 members of Al Queda launched a suicide attack on the USS Cole,

killing 17 sailors.

Al Queda was determined to force the US to leave the land of Mecca.

On September 11, 2001 the US was attacked by radical Muslim terrorists from the Middle East.

Anger and fear fueled anti-Muslim hysteria.

Along with a military response, the US sought to root out terrorists within its borders, Afghanistan and Iraq. In order to save America and all that it stands for (Bill of Rights) and to ‘tear out the radical seeds’ that sought to destroy it, some

government officials believed that the president needed extraordinary powers to save the Nation.

These officials believed that foreign terrorists were not protected by national and international law. They

were labeled ‘enemy combatants’ and denied the protection of the Geneva Convention as well as the

US Constitution.

Is it OK for the United States to ignore International Law &/or the Constitution during a

national emergency?

How far should we go to make ourselves feel safe?

Following WWI, the United States had to deal with similar issues.

• The enemy = Foreign anarchists and communists

• The solution = The Palmer Raids• The Result = xenophobia, anti-labor

union feeling among Americans

ObjectivesAt the end of this lesson you should be

able to:

• Identify the Red Scare

• List 3 characteristics of bolshevism and why its spread was feared by Americans

• Identify Mitchell Palmer and describe his policies to ‘defend’ America

• Identify at least 3 separate examples of labor unrest in 1919, the reasons why they came about, the outcome

What was the Red Scare?• Definition: Intense fear in

US of a communist/radical takeover in years following WWI

• Comintern–Organization started by

Lenin with goal of spreading communism

• American Communist Party–70, 000 members in 1919

Sacco and Vanzetti

Presentation

A. Mitchell Palmer

Presentation

What were the Palmer Raids?

• Mitchell Palmer

–Staged raids, arrested thousands

• Ignored warrants, denied them attorneys

Bombing at Washington D.C. home of Attorney-General PalmerLiterary Digest, 6/14/19

Palmer Raids

How did the Public Reaction to the Palmer Raids.

• Majority supported actions

• “no time to waste on hairsplitting over infringement of liberty

• 6 thousand radicals deported

Emma Goldman was

among the deported

Describe the post WWI Labor Unrest

• Post War Recession

• > 3, 600 strikes in 1919

• Were they successful?

• How were they viewed by the public?

Describe the Boston Police Strike

• Labeled as “Bolshevistic” by press

• Theft, looting rampant

• Coolidge-”There is no right to strike against the public safety by anybody, anywhere, anytime.”

Describe the US Steel Strike.• Terrible Working

Conditions• Worked 24 hours

straight • Union wanted one

day’s rest• Elbert Gary (head of

US Steel) refused• 18 strikers killed

Note how the strikers are portrayed in the press.

Seattle General StrikePresentation

Describe the Seattle General Strike• Began in shipyard in 1919• War-time wage-freeze

continued after Versailles• 110 other unions

sympathized and joined them in a General Strike– Shut down city

• Mayor Ole Hanson – Arrested IWW leaders– Closed the Union

Record– Broke the strike within 1

week

Seattle General Strike

Political Spectrum concerning S.G.S

IWW AFL Press Gov't

Radical Reactionary Moderate

Conclusion

• The propaganda launched by George Creel and the Committee of Public Safety taught Americans to hate the Germans. This hatred was transferred to a new enemy, radicals. Over 6, 000 citizens and immigrants, some guilty, some not, were denied their rights and deported or worse. Labor unions, portrayed in the press as being controlled by radicals, met with little or no success.