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Stereotypes Of Black Americans During World War II

1268 Words6 Pages

During the 1920s, United States officials decided not to intervene in global conflict. Even after World War II began, they maintained their isolation until December 7th, 1941, when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. The attack was brutal and unexpected; more than two thousand American soldiers died. America immediately declared war on Japan and entered the worldwide conflict. The U.S, however, was unprepared as it only had 174,000 men in the army against countries with millions of soldiers. The government needed supplies, money, and soldiers, and most importantly, public support. In order to grow the army, the government passed the Selective Service Act, which ordered all men between the ages of 18-45 to apply for the drafts and then the government …show more content…

In prior wars, including the Civil War and World War I, racial discrimination was prevalent. When World War II began in 1939, more than 2.5 million Black Americans registered for the draft. Despite the huge number of men, the government initially turned most of them away. Moderate progress began in 1940 when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt set a 10% quota for Black soldiers in the military. The number of soldiers in the army rapidly increased, and by 1944, 700,000 Black men were serving. However, there was still extreme racial prejudice in the military; the military housed Black soldiers in separate quarters, offered inferior training, and allowed white soldiers to discriminate against Black soldiers. Despite the hardships, Black Americans distinguished themselves with their outstanding service. Benjamin Oliver Davis Jr. founded the Tuskegee Airmen, a very successful squadron of Black soldiers. They were one of the most decorated groups and never lost a single plane. The Tuskegee airmen contributed greatly to the Allies' success. Black Americans worked hard to prove themselves because most of the army was against them and believed that they were an unnecessary contribution to the army. Black soldiers ignored the discrimination; they needed to prove that the color of their skin did not impact their commitment to their country or their ability to fight. America was struggling, and Black Americans stepped up to show that the government could not ignore them in times of hardship, Black soldiers were important not only because they added many more able men to the army, but they also helped fight against stereotypes, which led to the Civil Rights Movement. By fighting in the war, Black Americans showed that they were equal to other Americans, and that everyone was united under one flag and against one enemy. Their primary goal was to gain the

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