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The Impact of World War Two

Black Americans

A) The Military
• 1 million black Americans served in the armed forces
•segregation in the army - only 12 black officers, blacks usually fought in all black units commanded by white officers.
•however during the war segregation decreased - more mixed units, experience of blacks in Britain where there was no segregation

B) Campaigns during the war
• ‘Double v’ - victory for civil rights at home and victory over Hitler abroad.
• A. Philip Randolph set up March on Washington movement which hoped to mobilise between 50,000 and 100,000 in support

Government reaction - FDR issued in 1941 Executive Order 8802 - Fair Employment Practices Committee set up.
This led to black expectations being increased and therefore membership of civil rights groups increased as more black Americans became active - by 1946 - membership of NAACP was 460,000 which was 10 times more members than 1940.

C) Race Riots
- as many black Americans moved to the industrial north in search of better jobs this led to an increase in racial tension in some cities.
- Detroit - 21st June 1943 - 25 blacks, 9 whites killed and 700 injured, $2million worth damage done.