Editing World War I Impact (section)

== Philadelphia at War ==

Philadelphia sent thousands of its young men to military service. The Army established Camp Dix in New Jersey to train soldiers from the Philadelphia region, and local National Guard units were mobilized and deployed to France. Philadelphia's units participated in major battles including the Meuse-Argonne offensive, the largest American military operation of the war. Casualty lists in local newspapers brought the war's reality home to Philadelphia families. Gold star mothers—those who had lost sons in service—became a recognized and honored group. The war memorial established at Philadelphia's 30th Street Station (completed after the Pennsylvania Railroad finished the station in 1933) later commemorated the Pennsylvania Railroad employees who served and died.<ref name="weigley"/>

The home front organized to support the war effort. Liberty Loan drives raised money through the sale of bonds; Philadelphia consistently exceeded its quotas, reflecting both patriotism and effective organization. Food conservation campaigns encouraged households to reduce consumption of wheat, meat, and sugar so that more could be shipped to Europe. Volunteer organizations rolled bandages, knit socks, and performed other war work. The city's ethnic communities—including German Americans who faced suspicion and hostility—demonstrated their loyalty through participation in war efforts. The Four Minute Men, volunteers who delivered brief patriotic speeches at public gatherings, spread government messages throughout the city.<ref name="bodnar"/>