Leo Frank:

Who was Leo Frank?

What happened to Leo Frank after his trial?

World War I:
How was Georgia significant to the United States' involvement in World War I?

What was the United States’ official policy regarding getting involved in WWI when it began?

1 answer

Leo Frank was a Jewish-American factory superintendent who was falsely accused and convicted of the murder of a 13-year-old girl named Mary Phagan in Atlanta, Georgia in 1913. Despite evidence pointing to his innocence, Frank was convicted based on the testimony of witnesses with conflicting accounts and anti-Semitic sentiments, and he was sentenced to death.

After his trial, Leo Frank’s case gained national attention and sparked outrage due to the lack of fair trial and evidence. His sentence was commuted to life in prison by the governor of Georgia, but a mob of men abducted Frank from prison and lynched him in 1915.

Georgia was significant to the United States' involvement in World War I as it was a major hub for training and deploying troops, as well as producing war material. Camp Gordon, located in Chamblee, Georgia, became one of the primary training camps for soldiers heading to the Western Front.

When World War I began, the official policy of the United States was one of neutrality. President Woodrow Wilson wanted to keep the country out of the conflict and avoid getting involved in the European war. However, as the war continued and the threat to American interests grew, the U.S. eventually entered the war in 1917 to support the Allies.