Why did the wison's administration place wartime retrictions on free speech?

Answer 1

Wilson's administration placed wartime restrictions on free speech primarily to maintain national unity and support for the war effort during World War I. The government feared that dissenting voices could undermine morale and encourage anti-war sentiments, potentially jeopardizing military recruitment and public support. This led to the enactment of the Espionage Act of 1917 and the Sedition Act of 1918, which criminalized opposition to the war and restricted various forms of expression deemed harmful to national interests.