How the Great War Drove Prohibition

Hatred of Germans (and their beer) was essential to dry propaganda

The Great War — better known as World War I — was drawing to a close this month in 1918. On November 11 at 11 a.m., an armistice was declared, and the war that had taken more than 20 million lives ended.

At the same time, states were voting on two amendments to the U.S. Constitution that had been passed by Congress. One, the Eighteenth, would make it ill…