The FBI saw its fair share of action during the first world war. America wanted to stay neutral during the First World War, but the war was brought to its doorstep. Through German sabotage and espionage, the war came to the USA.
The FBI, through their efforts and tactics, tried to counter the German offense. The German involvement became apparent once the American workforce started to suffer. The unions were infiltrated by Germans, and that led to a number of internal issues for the USA.
The following discussion will touch upon the key factors that played a crucial role in affecting the FBI during the First World War.
The Written History
There are a number of books that encompass the time before the tenure of J. Edgar Hoover. These books provide an in-depth view of the circumstances surrounding the events of the early FBI years. One such book is The federal Bureau of Investigation before Hoover volume 2.
In this book, the author captures the era of 1914 to 1917 when German espionage started to take effect on US soil. As the Germans targeted the manufacturing power of the USA, the American desire to stay neutral in the war was crushed.
Key Events
As World War I broke out, America maintained a stance of neutrality. During the events of World War I, American influence in Europe was nonexistent. However, over time, American soil saw an infiltration of Germans in their ranks.
Over time, the Germans infiltrated the trade unions, which led to a massive disruption of the USA’s manufacturing industry. Once this was noticed, the American forces took action, and the role of the FBI became more focused on counter-action.
The Role of the FBI
The role of the FBI was modified in the early years of World War I. As America tried to maintain its stance of neutrality, the FBI uncovered countless attempts of espionage from the German side. This led to a focus on the efforts to counteract the acts of sabotage and espionage.
The FBI also enforced the Espionage ACT of 1917, which made it a crime for any force to act on behalf of a foreign power to spy or commit an act of sabotage on US soil. This act was brought on by necessity, and its enforcement led to several convictions.
Notable Cases
There are a number of cases that the FBI investigated that led to the discovery of sabotage and espionage on US soil. The Black Tom Explosion in 1916 is an example of such an event. The explosion at the munitions depot in Jersey was attributed to German sabotage after investigations concluded.
Similarly, the discovery of the Zimmermann Telegram in 1917 led to the discovery of German plans to resume submarine warfare, which led to the US involvement in the First World War. The BOI also discovered the German plan to Join forces with the Hindus of India to overthrow the British Government.
