What effect did the demobilization that followed World War I have on the American workforce?
A) Members of labor unions were viewed as disloyal and were monitored by the FBI.
B) Thousands of women and African-Americans lost their jobs as returning servicemen reentered the work force.
C) War-time production led to a more diverse workforce as women and African-Americans entered jobs that were previously unavailable to them.
D) The GI Bill enabled many former U.S. servicemen to start their own businesses, which in turn led to lower unemployment rates across the nation.
I think it's B
I agree.
To determine the effect of demobilization following World War I on the American workforce, we can analyze the options provided.
Option A states that members of labor unions were viewed as disloyal and were monitored by the FBI. While labor unrest did increase post-WWI due to inflation and decreased wages, this option does not fully capture the effect of demobilization on the American workforce.
Option B suggests that thousands of women and African-Americans lost their jobs as returning servicemen reentered the workforce. This option correctly identifies the impact of demobilization on specific demographic groups. When soldiers returned from war, they often took back the jobs previously held by women and African-Americans, leading to job losses for these groups. This option highlights this effect.
Option C suggests that wartime production led to a more diverse workforce as women and African-Americans entered jobs previously unavailable to them. While this may be true during wartime, the question specifically addresses the post-war period of demobilization. Therefore, this option does not accurately reflect the effect of demobilization on the American workforce.
Option D states that the GI Bill enabled many former U.S. servicemen to start their own businesses, which in turn led to lower unemployment rates across the nation. While the GI Bill did provide benefits to veterans, including education and housing, it does not directly address the effect of demobilization on the American workforce.
Considering the above analysis, option B is the most accurate answer. Thousands of women and African-Americans did lose their jobs as returning servicemen reentered the workforce. This displacement represented a significant impact of demobilization on the American workforce.