Can They Fight During World War II?

Before WORLD WAR I, military service represented a source of black pride. Black educators, clergymen, and the press frequently referred to Negro heroes of America’s past wars. After the Civil War, the U.S, Army maintained four regular Negro regiments –the 9th and 10th Calvary and the 24th and 25th Infantry. These units included veterans of the civil war and the frontier Indian fighting regiments. Retired sergeants often became respected, conservative leaders in their communities. This history set a foundation for black support and involvement in America’s future wars.

For many African Americans, the war offered an opportunity to get out of the cycle of crushing rural poverty. Black joined the military in large numbers, escaping a decade of Depression and tenant farming in the South and Midwest. Yet, like the rest of America in the 1940s, the armed forces were segregated. The Army accepted black enlistees but created separate black infantry regiments and assigned white commanders to them. Of the more than 2.5 million African Americans who registered for the draft in WWII, about 900,000 served in the Army. But about only 50,000 African Americans were allowed to serve in combat.

The Civil War was one of America’s most brutal battles in history. Majority of which being white, male soldiers. Over the years, many historians have argued the actual involvement of blacks during the civil war era. Many claiming that they were doing nothing more than assisting the actual, white soldiers in combat such as, nurses, and wagon drivers, not actually picking up the gun and shooting alongside in battle. Most people look over the fact that almost ten percent, or 180,000, of the Union army were African American. Though a small fraction of the amount of total soldiers during the war, their involvement is still significant. These soldiers recruited and voluntarily, committing the same acts of bravery of any Caucasian solider, due to the prejudice against them, they were pushed to the back burner and treated with disrespect, virtually diminishing their extensive courageous acts. Nevertheless these soldiers made an impact in world changing war.

As war spread across Europe in 1914-1918, black Americans saw a second opportunity in which they could use the war to their advantage, in securing the respect of their white neighbours. This contemporary conflict brought about great controversy within the black community, being asked to fight for a democracy on behalf of a country in which they did not receive equal treatment. Many activists did support the war effort, including DuBois announcing ‘while the war lasts [blacks] must forget [their] special grievances … fight shoulder to shoulder with white fellow citizens… For democracy’ (Heinze, 2003). Paradoxically, when it came to the drafting of the volunteers, blacks came under a total polarization of customary discriminatory practice. Blacks were instructed to tear corners of their registry cards, thus becoming easily identified, to be inducted separately to white volunteers. (Murray, 1971). Now, under usual circumstances, the Black citizens would be turned away, the war office began doing all they could within their power to bring them into service, and surprisingly, this was most common among the Southern boards, demonstrated by the Confederate army during the civil war. The army established a more progressive attitude toward race relations than mainland America, by the end of 1917, African Americans served in cavalry, infantry, medical and engineer positions. The war allowed for the black Americans to begin asserting their citizenship, protesting racial injustice on

The story of African American soldiers in the American Civil War is often a forgotten one. The history of the war is usually presented as white Northerners versus white Southerners as blacks waited on the sidelines as their fate was determined. This portrayal is highly inaccurate considering over 180,000 African American troops fought in the war and eventually obtained their own regiments under the United States Colored Troops as a part of the Union Army. Composed on May, 22, 1863, the USCT strengthened the Union Army’s numbers and contributed significantly to battles such as the Skirmish at Island Mound and Fort Wagner. Even with their contributions, African American soldiers are often overlooked in favor of other narratives. However, black historian George Washington Williams was one of the first to write the history of black troops today. His belief was that the history of black troops and their valor were a major contribution to American Civil War history. While controversial at the time, this view is not uncommon today and historians have continued to study the significance of black troops. Gregory J. W. Urwin and other historians recently wrote a critique on the treatment of black soldiers, acknowledging atrocities against them were committed often. Urwin tries to provide a honest history to the brutality of the black solider.

The 54th Massachusetts was led by white soldiers like Colonel Robert Shaw, which is the son of wealthy abolitionist. During their first battle it caused the death of many troops. They were not paid equally but it proved that they can fight in the battles. Some black units like 54th Massachusetts infantry refused to receive unequal payments. Which led to Lincoln’s administration and Congress to give them equal pay and earn respect. The black soldiers inspired other black men to enlist in the war. Through the black soldiers courage and sacrifice they pushed African American to fight for their

Coupled with promises of freedom and the desire to contribute to a worthy endeavor, countless Negroes volunteered to enlist in the military based on presumable personal benefits, while some were forced or sold by their owners. More than one hundred thousand blacks, including Colonel Tye, one

The Northern and Southern armies had very different views of African Americans military service in the Civil War. One way that we know this is by looking at two recruitment posters.

They were willing to put their lives on the line for their country. African Americans assumed that after being viewed as equals this would lead to more freedom in their daily lives. (Document 3) This was not the case though. Many wanted this and so they started the Double V Campaign. Double V stood for Double Victory. Their goal was to achieve a victory abroad and a victory at home. Those at war saw that this was not as easy as they wanted it to be. Corporal Rupert Trimmingham wrote about the treatment of African Americans compared to the treatment of enemies of the country. (Document 5) This showed that even the Germans were being treated better than them as they were American soldiers. This did not lead to opportunities or freedoms for them. It just showed that they had more battles to win and considering equal soldiers was one of

They were even able to take out their enemies fast jet fighters (Reinhardt and Ganzel 1). what is socking about all of this is that these men weren't trained with guns or knives, they had to use sticks instead (Reinhardt and Ganzel 1). With all the racism still going on, one African American man said it would be an iron for him to give America his life if it didn’t want to given him basic civil rights (Reinhardt and Ganzel 2). Second of all after, returning home they were given an opportunity to join a movement for their rights (Reinhardt and Ganzel 2). The Soldier came home to a country that wasn’t granting them their full rights so some joined a movement to expand the rights (Reinhardt and Ganzel 2). Other soldiers ended up moving to the city instead so they could find work similar to what they did while at war (Reinhardt and Ganzel 2). The roles of African American minorities where change after the war because the opportunities of job openings that were given to them and because their civil rights eventually expanded.

During World War I, black troops faced poor training and lack of supplies has well has segregation, they where separated from white barracks and where not allow in the same clubs has white soldiers. White Officers didn’t like the idea of harming them or even training them how to use a weapon. They believed that by nature black where inferior to them making argument has “Negro brain is smaller than white; his brain weighs 35 ounces contrasted with 45 for the white” (Gropman).

When World War II started in 1939, African Americans and white soldiers in the army were segregated. African Americans would only be limited to serve only in four normal army units that were established after the Civil War. The total number of black soldiers was 3,640. Five of the 3,640 were officers and three of them are chaplains. In the navy, there were a little less than four thousand African Americans served in the navy as mess men because that was the only category open to them. The Marine Corps and the Army Air Corps excluded African Americans entirely until after 1941. Black organizations and leaders began to challenge the racial practices of the military as they began demanding more involvement for Africans

Before and during mobilization for World War II, officials in Washington, D.C., debated whether or not African-American soldiers should be used in armored units. Many military men and politicians believed that blacks did not have the brains, quickness or moral stamina to fight in a war.

In the short film, “The Negro Soldier,” the whole focus was to get African Americans to join the military. With the use of propaganda, the U.S. government hoped to promote getting African Americans to want to fight for their country. It hoped to instill patriotism in them. It showed that Germany and the Nazis had no respect for them and considered them the scum of the earth. It also portrayed them being accepted as equals into the American society. It was used to make them think they were wanted and play a major role in the success of the war against germany. And to ultimately make Germany and the Nazis look like the bad guys (destroying their monuments) instead of the racist America they lived in. It also portrayed African American soldiers prior contributions in previously fought wars as pivotal moments in American history. It made it seem like they were the reason for those victories. It also explained how the African American soldiers were honored with tributes, memorials, medals and parades for their service in the military. In the ongoing WWII, it was said that there were three times the number of African Americans soldiers in WWII than in WWI. Also, many more were getting commissioned and attending West Point and OCS (Officer Candidate School). African American men that were once printers, tailors, entertainers are now soldiers in the Army as gunners, tankers, radio operators, mechanics, quartermasters, and infantrymen. They were now the backbone of

When America entered the Second World War, in 1942, they required Black men to fight. Many Black men fought for America in the war and did everything expected of them. Although they fought in different regiments to White Americans they were treated with respect, something many Black Americans had not experienced before. Whilst at war they noticed that many other countries- such as Britain- had integrated regiments without complications, so many wondered why America could not do the same. When