Texas and the effects of WW1
With the outbreak of the Great War, many of the European consumers of Texan goods, mainly cotton (Texas produced 1/5th of the world's cotton), ceased purchases. The cotton market closed up and prices dropped dramatically only to rise exponentially as the war progressed. Other exports such as steel and oil were heavily sought after by both sides of the conflict, allowing for large amounts of growth in those sectors of the Texan economy.
With the growing industry in the cities, large influxes of rural citizens moved into cities for better wages and environments. A large majority of these individuals would be African Americans escaping the Jim Crow South in the Great Migration. Farmers felt the impact of the labor shortage the most, resulting in a reliance on immigrants coming across the Southern border that were escaping the current revolution in Mexico.
Photograph of trains hauling cotton through the Houston and Texas Central Railway yards, 1904
The war also brought upon a great deal of distrust against those of Mexican and German descent. As German U-boats aka submarines began indiscriminately targeting any vessels heading towards Entente countries, Texans and Americans in general were fearful of German spies making their way to the U.S. The current revolution going on in Mexico also did not relieve tensions between the two nations as Germany was known to back some of the revolutionary leaders taking part within it. Discrimination against Mexican- and German-Americans was harsh throughout the war period, but especially brutal against Mexican immigrants in Texas and other border states to Mexico.
Artistic depiction of a German U-boat sinking a American trawler by Willy Stöwer
Citations
Roberts, John D., Copyright Claimant. Cotton scene in Houston and Texas Central Railway yards, Houston, Texas. Houston Texas, 1904. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2012647874/.
Stöwer, Willy, Artist. Deutsches U-Boot, einen bewaffneten englischen fischdampfer vernichtend / Willy Stöwer. , 1916. [Berlin: Galerie-Verlag, G.m.b.H., Potsdamerstr. 97] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2002697970/.
Walters, Katherine. "World War 1." Texas State Historical Association. 1952. https://tinyurl.com/WW1andTexas
What is Johnnie's relationship to Blanche? Close friend or distant family member?
How long does it take for these letters to finally reach the receiver?
What was the average American's view on the war in Europe at this point in time?
The following object description information includes basic elements from the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI). An additional notes field is included to list dates from the actual letter, envelope postmark locations, and any other identifying details.
Isolationist America
Following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand on June 28, 1914, Europe and their colonies were thrown into global conflict. The United States made it clear in the beginning it would not intervene in European affairs, inciting a doctrine of Isolationism. Throughout the early years of the war, the United States continued to trade with both the Triple Entente (France, UK, and Russia) and the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria). Both sides wished to gain the United States on their side, especially the Entente.
The United states was keen on maintaining neutrality during the conflict with President Woodrow Wilson at the head of it all. Despite these isolationist views being held, The U.S. was intervening anywhere that possessed a threat to the country's interests. While not directly being involved in European affairs at the start of the war, Wilson found it difficult to remain noninterventionist when dealing with the case of Latin America, specifically Mexico and the border disputes between the two nations.
With the Great War raging on in Europe, American business interests were at risk at being taken or destroyed completely, specifically those with the Entente. Wilson, with election coming up in 1916, agreed with American businessmen and other political officials to take a preparedness strategy which wouldn't fully compromise his neutrality promise. This method called for the bolstering up of the armed forces in order to be quickly deployed if the U.S. does have to enter the conflict.
Citation
The National WW1 Museum And Memorial. "U.S. Enters the War." TheWorldWar. https://tinyurl.com/WW1andAmerica
Mexican Revolution
Since 1876, Porfirio Díaz was the ruling leader of Mexico and a harsh dictator according to the locals and even Americans across the border. Issues arose around the upcoming election as Díaz was keen to stay in office with arrests being made against anyone who spoke out against his leadership. Political opponents and refugees alike constantly fled into Texas to escape Díaz's rule where they organized opposing political parties and work unions. Immigrant and Mexican-American owned newspapers criticized the current government of Mexico. Despite Díaz being overthrown in 1911, the revolutionary governments filled up the power vacuum with little success, only enraging opponents to their rule.
Portrait of Porfirio Díaz, 1911
Tensions skyrocketed in 1915 with the execution of the Plan of San Diego, an call to arms to form a new nation consisting of Mexican territory and lost territory from the Mexican-American War such as Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. Skirmishes popped up on both sides of the border, requiring U.S. armed forces and the Texas Rangers to retaliate, with civilians being caught in the crossfire. War between the U.S. and Mexico teetered on the edge with General John J. Pershing leading a expedition into Mexico in pursuit of raiders under the leadership of Pancho Villa. Fighting continued all along the Texan-Mexican border till the revolution's end in 1920.
Photograph of Pancho Villa's troops skirmishing, 1914
Citations
Bain News Service, Publisher. Villa's Troops Skirmishing. , 1914. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2014695675/.
Coerver, Don. "Plan of San Diego." Texas State Historical Association. June 1, 1995. https://tinyurl.com/PlanofSD
Overfelt, Robert. "Mexican Revolution." Texas State Historical Association. May 1, 1995. https://tinyurl.com/MexicoRevolution
Porfirio Diaz. , ca. 1911. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/90711118/.