African Americans in World War II - Essay Example

African Americans & the Military in World War II Order No: 176584 No: of pages-9 Premium – 6530 World War II, was the costliest global conflict between the Axis and the Allies, the world has ever seen, in terms of both life and money. Millions of African Americans though persecuted through segregation and discrimination served faithfully in the US military in their struggle against Italy, Japan and Germany. Though the United States declared war on Germany in April 1917, it resisted from sending its troops to Europe until early fall. This delay was partly due to the lack of trained American soldiers. After World War I, everyone, particularly the African Americans hoped to find equality and harmony in the country. They nurtured great expectations due to their excellent work and war records they possessed. This hope had been carried further as President Wilson declared that the war was being fought “to make the world safe for democracy”.(President Wilson, World War I) African American soldiers as well as the civilians always recollected or remembered their painful experiences of World War I. They had endured discrimination and segregation in almost all areas and they were not willing to accept these factors once again. So they started raising their voices in protest for which they had to undergo severe punishment in lieu of their attitude. Their hopes and aspirations were dashed to the ground when after the war; discriminatory feelings began to grow against them in leaps and bounds. The Ku Klux Klan was once again revived and gained the support of other anti- African American groups. The Blacks suffered horrendous discrimination and riots and attacks left thousands homeless. Hatred and unrest ran rampant among the Blacks as they were badly treated. Black owned newspapers flashed news about the maltreatment and discrimination shown to them by the whites. Many of the Black writers interviewed some of the black American slaves and received a first hand report of the atrocities meted out to them. Due to segregation of the Black Americans discontentment and the need to take revenge brewed among them. The NAACP and other Help Groups: Many organizational groups such as the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the NAACP and the National Urban League tried very hard to put an end to segregation of the Black Americans and the discrimination shown to them, but all the efforts undertaken were slow and laborious. Many of the files documented by the NAACP had the phrase “Soldier Troubles” marked on them to have proof of the efforts taken to prevent maltreatment of African Americans serving in the military. The NAACP also worked towards obtaining voting rights and tried hard to dismantle discrimination and segregation by moving the court. They also strived hard to gain laws that were beneficial to the suffering African Americans. The “Jim Crow” Laws: The “Jim Crow” laws that were mandated discriminated Blacks to have separate facilities for worship, housing, travel, schooling, lodging, eating and drinking and all other aspects of economic and social life. They also had separate entrances for entering a movie theatre which was marked “Colored”. This sort of discrimination and segregation kindled the fire of resentment in the hearts of the Black Americans. Various signs of segregation were put up at strategic points in public places and failure to adhere to these signs earned them punishment and imprisonment. Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the “New Deal” Programs: In 1929, the was a great economic depression that took place after the great stock market crash and the worst hit were the African Americans who lived in both cities and rural areas. They were already living in abject poverty and suffered tremendously during the depression. In 1932, Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected and promised all Americans a “New Deal” which would provide them with security “from the cradle to the grave”. (Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1932) Though there were a lot of inequities in the agricultural, housing and other economic programs, yet the Blacks were given opportunities of employment in areas that were previously closed to them. Instead of ending the Economic Depression, the New Deal program sought to upset the already stormy clouds in Europe, American aide to the Allies and finally the United States entry into World War II soon after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Employment of the Blacks in World War II: During the World War II, Philip A. Randolph led a very successful movement in protest against the segregation of the Blacks and threatened to bring thousands of Blacks to raise their voices against this issue of racial segregation, to Washington D.C in 1941. In relation to the threatened march on Washington, President Franklin D. Roosevelt took action by issuing an Executive Order 8802, in June 1941 that barred discrimination of African Americans on religious or racial grounds in Industrial and other Government Programs. Roosevelt stated that “no discrimination in the employment of workers in defense industries or Government because of race, creed, color, or national origin." (President Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1941) And thereafter, the Committee on “Fair Employment Practices” was established to handle discrimination complaints. The result of the Executive Order was that roughly about 19,000 African Americans served as marines in World War II. (Guide to African American History, Alpha Books, 2003) Training of Black Pilots in World War II: During World War II, many Civil Rights Groups together with other Black professional organizations urged the Government to provide training for Black pilots in par or on an equal basis with the whites. The Northern Black troops who were sent for training to the South, very often witnessed or were a part of violent encounters with the whites in that area. Their efforts met with partial success as African American fighter pilots were allowed to train as part of the Army Air Force. However, on July 19th, 1941, the US opened the first training facility for African Americans, but their base was segregated and located at Tuskegee, Alabama, where they under went rigorous training. On September 14th 1944, Dr. Frederick Douglass Patterson, the third president of Tuskegee Institute wrote to Parrish saying, “"In my opinion, all who have had anything to do with the development and direction of the Tuskegee Army Air Field and the Army flying training program for Negroes in this area have just cause to be proud. . . . The development had to take place in a period of emergency and interracial confusion". (Dr. Fredrick Douglass Patterson, 1944) Of the 922 pilots who graduated in the first batch at Tuskegee, 450 of them flew missions in North Africa. The Airmen won 850 medals after destroying 261 enemy aircraft. In every capacity they did their best and worked with honor just as any other American would do for his country. They worked in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Marine Corps in various capacities such as infantry men, tankers, pilots and medics and never shirked from doing their best for the country. Due to discrimination, they were trained separately, lived separately and served separately. This senseless policy not only wasted time and money but also used man power inefficiently. Yet, it is rather surprising to note that those African American soldiers who were stationed in the South were not allowed to enter the restaurants where the German prisoners were being served their meal. African American Nurses in World War II: During World War II, even though there was an extreme shortage of white nurses, defense officials remained reluctant to recruit black nurses to render help during the war. It was considered a violation of social norms to allow black nurses to take care of the whites. Rights groups such as the NAACP and the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses, led by Mabel Staupers, (European Theater of Operations, Nurses in England, 1944) vehemently protested racial policies in the Army Nurse Corps and the military in general. These protests met with some success but not completely. African American War Veterans and World War II: After serving in the military service in World War II, the African American War Veterans who were returning to the South were not willing to be subjected to degradation and humiliation of discrimination and segregation in the land for which they fought and shed their blood. The Whites, especially those in the South, however felt that these veterans should be terrorized into submission and did not care if they wore the Nations uniform or not. As a result there was collusion between some law enforcement officers and the Ku Klux Klan. (Charles White, “The Return of the Soldier”, 1946). “Harlem Renaissance". During World War II, intellectual and creative people such as writers, musicians, artists and actors of African American origin, led a battle against artistic bias. Between the wars and during the period of the great Depression, the African Americans raised their voice in a crescendo of artistic statement which they termed as “Harlem Renaissance”. It was during this era that classical music, jazz, blues, painting, drawing, dance, plays and novels and poetry flourished and gained worldly acclaim. Since Racism was a tragic and powerful force in American life and difficult to reckon with, the Blacks were not favored for their intellectual and artistic abilities as against the whites. Engineering Feat during World War II: “The Ledo Road”. During the war, a road had to be constructed across India, through Burma and right into China for the smooth running of operations. The length of the road was 1079 miles and was named the Ledo/Stilwell Road. Of the 15, 000 troops called upon for its construction, around 60% of them were African Americans. In order for this to be carried out supplies had to be sent across to China. But since the Japanese had captured the Burma Road this was not possible and they were faced with two options. One was “Flying the hump” which meant airlifting supplies from India to China over the Great Himalayan Mountains which was not only tedious but dangerous due to the bad weather and temperature and rather expensive. The second option was to construct a road from India, through Northern Burma and into China, so that there could be a continuous supply of materials and food. Therefore it was but natural for the US to pursue to construct the road. The road was cut through mountains, valleys and rivers and played a major role during the war. The road was so long and built so strong that it remains a great feat in engineering even today. There were thousand of Black Americans serving in the war in different capacities such as Black road builders, Black trucking Companies, Black dentists, Black doctors, Black nurses and technicians who worked very hard in their own capacities. The African American Irony of World War II: The African Americans who went into combat served with honor unto the end. Thousands of them lost their lives in service. African American leaders and organizations established the “Double V” campaign during the global conflict. The Double V stood for their victory over the enemy overseas and the victory over the much hated racism at home. In his writing, Stephen Ambrose identifies the American irony of World War II and laments by saying, “The world’s greatest democracy fought the world’s greatest racist with a segregated army”. (Ambrose, “Citizen Soldier”, New Orleans) This much valued consciousness of Black Americans and the justifiable rejection of festering racism set a firm platform from which the post- war Civil Rights Movement could take off. On July 26th 1948, President Harry. S. Truman, took it up as a challenge to bring African Americans much closer to the goal of equality. He took a giant step in signing the executive Order 9981 which emphatically stated, “This order stated, "there shall be equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the Armed Services without regard to race, color, religion, or national origin." There after, excellent progress in carrying out this order was achieved and that is why today, the armed forces are totally integrated. Conclusion: Millions of African Americans served with honor in all branches of service during the war. In the face of ruthless and extensive segregation and discrimination, they took up the challenge with perseverance and served the country with distinction and dedication. Though a great number of them lost their lives in the war, they are looked upon as beacons of light that paved the way for Democracy. References: African American Odyssey – The Depression, The New Deal and the World War www.memory.loc.gov/ammem/aaohtml/exhibit/aopart8.html African Americans in World War II www.school.familyeducation.com/african-american-history/world-war-2/47076.html African Americans in World War II www.mvheritagetrail.org/student-work/2002/WW2.htm World War II. African Americans and the Ledo / Stilwell Road www.ledoroad.com African Americans in World War II/ Fighting on Two Fronts www.nationalww2museum.org/education/AfricanAmericansWWII African Americans and Others Fight Discrimination www.teachervision.fen.com/race/resource/4569.html Read More