Congress passed the National Defense Act in June 1916 as part of President Woodrow Wilson’s efforts to strengthen the U.S. military. Many Americans, including former President Theodore Roosevelt, criticized the Wilson administration for not preparing the country for the possibility of war. Wilson responded to the criticism, and to the growing conflict in Europe, with the National Defense Act. The act allowed for the expansion of the army from 175,000 to 223,000 troops over five years and allowed the states to increase the National Guard to 450,000. To train the new troops, the National Defense Act provided for the construction of military bases and established the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) at colleges and universities. Finally, the National Defense Act created guidelines for the government to direct the economy from civilian to military production. The act was the first step in preparing the United States for war and was soon followed by legislation to increase the size of the navy.
