Compare And Contrast Arkansas And World Ww2

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Arkansas and the World War II World War II brought great changes to the state of Arkansas. Arkansans faced great challenges both during and after the war. The breakup of families by being separated from some of the male members to join the army, rationing of food, formation of camps to accommodate the Japanese in their fields, participation of women in the labor force, crisis education, as well as racial confrontation for the equal civil rights of African Americans. The war had a great economic and social impact on the people of Arkansas. The war contributed to the most important economic change as World War II was a major turning point for Arkansas. World War II began for America by a surprise attack on December 7, 1941 by Japan on Pearl …show more content…

Many Americans including Arkansans decided to step up eagerly rushing to recruiting offices to enlist to show their support for the war efforts. This act of patriotism gave hope to Arkansans as they were showing signs of unity after all. The active participation of the Arkansans in the war caused a crisis in agriculture forcing the government to import foreign labor to their fields by creating programs like Braceros and POW labor. In mid-1942, the US government signed an agreement with the Mexican government allowing Mexican workers to come to work for the United States in their cotton fields. These immigrant workers would receive transportation, lodging and a fair wage. Arkansas benefited from this agreement as the necessary labor force for its fields. For several years, braceros, as this group was called, worked several years in agriculture, "over the next few years thousands of braceros were placed in …show more content…

After the war, another conflict was brewing for African Americans who fought in the war and returning to America found themselves in another struggle to defend their civil rights. This gave a strong reason for a new generation of black leaders to stand up in Arkansas. The postwar years were also a time of massive social revolt caused by ideas about race superiority and racial segregation. The United States civil rights movement took power mainly in the southern United States. In June of 1941, President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 8802, which would not allow discrimination for African Americans in government contracts throughout the country, “forbidding discrimination of employment by defense industries.” (Arkansas