Shaping+Public+Opinion+NFM

====Progressives Believed that economic benefits were enough to guarantee Success in the war effort. They needed to shape public opinion using propaganda. 11 days after meeting with congress Wilson created the CPI Committee on Public Information. This organization was created to "sell" the war to the public. In 1917 The Espionage Act was passed making the act of giving false reports, aiding to the enemy, and interfering with the war effort illegal.In 1918 the Sedition Act made it illegal to speak against the war in public. anyone breaking these laws were arrested. Both of these laws lead to over a 1,000 convictions. Propaganda told Americans to spy on German Americans, Socialists, and labor activists. This lead to the forming of the American Protective League, and the Boy Spies of America in order to spy on Neighbors and coworkers.====