“How did FDR respond to Civil Rights issues during WWII ?” Unit 6 Cornell - B “How did FDR respond to Civil Rights issues during WWII ?”

What was FDR’s “priority” during the war WWII offered many OPPORTUNITIES for minorities & women The USA needed their help in the factories and in the MILITARY. FDR’s priority was to WIN THE WAR and to maintain his New Deal COALITION that voted for him and his Democrats in Congress so he did not always support CIVIL RIGHTS.

A. Military Service: FDR welcomed Blacks to serve but SEGREGATION remained the rule: there were all-BLACK units and SEGREGATED training camps in the South. FDR did support Black units to fight and not just perform MENIAL tasks (like driving trucks). 2 examples of Black units who won many medals were: 92ND INFANTRY DIVISION –”BUFFALO SOLDIERS 99TH FIGHTER SQUADRON—”TUSKEEGEE AIRMAN”

I. African-Americans A. Military Service Historical Background: Blacks had always served – from the Revolution to WWI Most notable: in the Old West, fighting the Indians were “The Buffalo Soldiers”

I. African-Americans A. Military Service US 9th & 10th Cavalry Regiments, called “Buffalo Soldiers” by the Indians

WWII One outstanding US Army unit: 92nd Infantry Division nicknamed, “Buffalo Soldiers”

Buffalo Soldiers In 6 months of fighting in Europe “buffaloes” won 7 Legion of Merit awards 65 silver stars 162 Bronze Stars for courage under fire

WWII One outstanding US Air Corps unit: “Tuskeegee Airmen” of the 99th Fighter Squadron, “Red Tails”

The “Tuskeegee Airmen”

B. Home Front: 75% of defense companies refused to hire Blacks. A. Philip RANDOLPH planned a march on WASHINGTON to protest discrimination --- FDR did not want this march and issued an EXECUTIVE order 8802 that said DEFENSE CONTRACTORS / FACTORIES MUST END DISCRIMINATION however, this order was poorly ENFORCED and much discrimination remained.

B. Home Front: Some 330,000 Blacks moved from the South for jobs elsewhere – in overcrowded cities, racial TENSIONS rose: example; violence in DETROIT in 1943 where black vs. white fighting 3 DAYS and led to the deaths of 9 WHITES / 25 BLACKS. FDR called in FEDERAL TROOPS to stop it.

II. Mexican-Americans A. Military Service Most of these men served in DESEGREGATED units. 4% of total armed forces—est. 250-500,000 soldiers.

A. Military Service Their bravery was out of proportion to their numbers: 13 were awarded the Medal of Honor.

II. Mexican-Americans B. Home Front Mexican-Americans had lived in L.A. before California became a state, but faced prejudice from white servicemen who saw them as FOREIGNERS.

B. Home Front In 1943, the ZOOT SUIT Riots erupted; describe: (read Pg. 593)—Fill in blank FDR did NOTHING to stop or prevent this violence.

II. Mexican-Americans B. Home Front 1943 “Zoot Suit” Riots in L.A.

III. Japanese-Americans B. The Home Front Racial prejudice – and FEAR after Pearl Harbor led to the greatest violation of civil rights in WWII: Japanese-American “INTERNMENT”

III. Japanese-Americans B. The Home Front FDR’s EXECUTIVE Order 9066

B. Home Front: “Nisei” = US BORN CHILDREN OF JAPANESE IMMIGRANTS Americans of German and Italian descent were tolerated by most, but Japanese-Americans were not.

B. Home Front: Over 100,000 were “interned” or imprisoned in isolated camps in Western states. The state of HAWAII refused to intern Nisei. FDR ordered this in his EXECUTIVE Order 9066 They were a small minority group and had little POLITICAL power to protect themselves.

B. Home Front: The Supreme Court justified imprisoning the Japanese-Americans in the KOREMATSU case on the grounds of…...... “MILITARY NECESSITY”. No Japanese-Americans were ever found guilty of ESPINOAGE/SPYING during the war. Most of them lost HOMES, BUSINESSES, FARMS: their losses amounted to about $400 MILLION

Korematsu 1983 "As long as my record stands in federal court, any American citizen can be held in prison or concentration camps without trial or hearing. I would like to see the government admit they were wrong and do something about it, so this will never happen again to any American citizen of any race, creed, or color."

Japanese-American “Internment” Camps 1942-44(46)

III. Japanese-Americans A. Military Service All Japanese-American 442nd Regimental Combat Team (RCT)

A. Military Service: Thousands volunteered or were drafted and served in MILITARY units. The most decorated unit in the US Army was the 442ND Fought in ITALY AND FRANCE (the government did not TRUST them to fight in the Pacific).

A Texas National Guard unit surrounded by Germans in Italy, 1943 Out of food, medicine for wounded, and ammo scarce Germans call for Texans to surrender

QUESTION: If you were a Nisei, what would you have done? Join the MILITARY and fight to prove yourself ? Or, would you demand your rights and follow KOREMATSU and sue the government ? Explain :

IV. Women A. Military Service

A. Military Service: Over 200,000 women served in WWII, in every branch of the military. But there were those who opposed it: some in Congress said:……. WOMEN SHOULD NOT BE IN MILITATY / WHO’S GOING TO SATY HOME AND TAKE CARE OF THE FAMILY.

A. Military Service: Women did not serve in combat, but were…… NURSES, ferrying-PILOTS, radio OPERATORS, administrative CLERKS and other jobs that allowed men to go into combat units. FDR supported women military service.

Women Fliers

B. Home Front: 35% of the US workforce were women in WWII (6 million); 1/3 of these were in defense factories, but they also took jobs in JOURNALISM and other professions usually reserved for men.

B. Home Front: Working women did put stress on the American family: children were often left at home alone, called “LATCH-key” kids or “8 HOUR orphans”. When the war was over, most of these women LOST THEIR JOB as the men returned.

V. Native-Americans

Native-Americans Native-American men volunteered in large numbers for military service during WWII, representing many different tribes.

Native-Americans The NAVAJO Tribe from the Southwest (Arizona, New Mexico) contributed not only their men – but their LANGUAGE.

Native-Americans Since practically nobody outside of the tribe spoke NAVAJO, the US Marine Corps created a special “CODE TALKING” unit to use in combat against the Japanese – the enemy could not break the Navajo Marine’s LANGUAGE. Over 300 “Code TALKERS” served in WWII.

Famous Navajo “Code-Talkers”

What was FDR’s “priority” during the war ? America in the 1940’s: Racial segregation (Jim Crow) Prejudice against non-whites “Americanization” (Melting Pot) of immigrants – not diversity (Salad Bowl) Sexism & chuavanism Should FDR address these social problems, during the war ?

What was FDR’s “priority” during the war ? As Commander-in-Chief, FDR’s 1st priority is to WIN the WAR ! As a political leader, he must maintain UNITY among Americans ! He will provide more opportunities to women and minorities – but not go “too far” for civil rights !