Effects of War on Iowa
Agricultural Effects
The war had an effect on Iowa's agriculture production too. Agriculture flourished during World War I. The U.S. government asked farmers to produce more food to feed the armies fighting in Europe. American farmers increased their production to almost entirely sustain the Allied effort. This increased production was important as it helped start the engine for the war and also led to the overproduction of the Roaring 20’s leading to the Great Depression. WWI was important because it showed how in times of need the farming community could still save the day economically by providing enough sustenance to support the economy. Since many farmers lived in Iowa, the state was able to provide large quantities of food products including corn, cattle and hogs. With food production in high demand, farmers were able to get high prices for their crops.
Spanish Flu
Another disaster struck Iowa in the fall of 1918. An epidemic of Spanish influenza, a serious form of “the flu,” made its way from the first reported case at Fort Riley, Kansas, all across the nation. It was so deadly that at its peak it killed 195,000 Americans in the month of October alone. In Iowa people tried to avoid crowds where the disease might be spread. Schools and theaters were closed, and people wore masks to try to protect themselves from flu germs. By Christmas the worst was over and the epidemic diminished. By the end, over one in every four Americans had suffered from its high fever and aches. An estimated 675,000 Americans died of influenza, ten times as many as in the world war. Of the U.S. soldiers who died in Europe half of them—43,000—died from the Spanish flu.
End of the War
Germany surrendered on November 11, 1918, and the war ended. Wild celebrations occurred all over the state. People lit bonfires and gathered in cheering crowds. It would take months to bring the troops back home. Peace negotiations would drag on even longer, but the war was over and Iowans were eager to get back to their ordinary routines.
The official records show that 114,242 Iowans served in the armed forces during WW I. Of those, 3,576 died.