1-20 Flashcards
- Issei/Nisei
• Definition: “Issei” refers to first-generation Japanese immigrants to the
U.S., while “Nisei” are their American-born children.
• Significance: During World War II, many Issei and Nisei were forcibly relocated to internment camps due to fears of espionage and racial prejudice. Nisei soldiers also served in the U.S. military, notably in the 442nd Regimental Combat
- Executive Order 9066
• Definition: A 1942 order signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt that authorized the forced relocation of
Japanese Americans from the West Coast to internment camps.
• Significance: It led to the internment of over 120,000 Japanese Americans, violating their civil rights and leaving a lasting impact on their communities.
- Internment Camps
• Definition: Camps where Japanese
Americans were forcibly relocated and confined during World War II.
• Significance: These camps reflected wartime hysteria and racial discrimination, later recognized as a grave injustice by the U.S. government, which formally apologized and provided reparations.
- Redress Movement
• Definition: A political movement seeking an apology and compensation for Japanese Americans interned during
WWII.
• Significance: It led to the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, in which the U.S. government officially apologized and provided reparations to surviving internees.
- Fifth Columnists
• Definition: A term used for suspected enemy sympathizers or spies within a country.
• Significance: The fear of Japanese
American fifth columnists fueled support for internment, despite no evidence of widespread espionage.
- Code Talkers
• Definition: Native American soldiers, particularly from the Navajo Nation, who used their indigenous languages to transmit secure military communications.
• Significance: Their unbreakable codes played a critical role in U.S. military victories in the Pacific theater during WWIl.
- Zoot Suits
• Definition: Oversized suits with wide-legged pants and long jackets, popular among Mexican American youth in the 1940s.
• Significance: Seen as unpatriotic during wartime fabric rationing, zoot suits became a racial flashpoint, leading to the1943 Zoot Suit Riots, where U.S. servicemen attacked Mexican American youth in Los Angeles
- Chicanos
• Definition: A term for Americans of Mexican descent, often associated with cultural pride and activism.
• Significance: Chicanos faced racial discrimination and were targeted during events like the Zoot Suit Riots but also contributed to the war effort through military service and labor.
- Bracero Agreement
• Definition: A 1942 agreement between the U.S. and Mexico allowing Mexican laborers (braceros) to work temporarily in the U.S.
• Significance: Helped address wartime labor shortages, but braceros often faced poor working conditions and discrimination.
- Women’s Army Corps (WAC)
• Definition: A women’s branch of the U.S.
Army established in 1942 to allow women to serve in non-combat roles.
• Significance: Provided new opportunities for women in the military and contributed to the broader movement for gender equality.
- Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Services (WAVES)
• Definition: A division of the U.S. Navy that allowed women to serve in administrative, medical, and technical roles during WWiI.
• Significance: Enabled women to support the war effort in critical ways, setting the stage for expanded roles in the military.
- Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs)
• Definition: Civilian women pilots who flew non-combat missions for the U.S. Army Air Forces.
• Significance: Freed male pilots for combat duty and helped break gender barriers in aviation, though they were not given full military status until decades later.
- March on Washington Movement
• Definition: A campaign led by A. Philip Randolph in 1941 to protest racial discrimination in war industries and the military.
• Significance: Pressured FDR to issue Executive Order 8802, banning racial discrimination in defense jobs.
- Fair Employment Practices Commission
• Definition: A government agency established in 1941 to enforce EO 8802, prohibiting racial discrimination in defense industries.
• Significance: Marked the first federal action against employment discrimination, laying the groundwork for future civil rights policies.
- Jim Crow Army
• Definition: A term describing the racial segregation of Black soldiers in the U.S. military during WWII.
• Significance: Despite fighting for democracy abroad, Black soldiers faced discrimination and were often limited to menial tasks or segregated units.
- Tuskegee Airmen (332nd Fighter Group)
• Definition: The first Black military aviators in the U.S. Army Air Corps.
• Significance: Overcame racial discrimination and proved their effectiveness in combat, contributing to the desegregation of the military.
- Port Chicago Mutiny
• Definition: A 1944 protest by Black sailors after a deadly munitions explosion at Port Chicago, California.
• Significance: Highlighted racial injustice in the Navy and influenced military desegregation efforts.
- Congress of Racial Equality
• Definition: A civil rights organization founded in 1942 to combat racial segregation through nonviolent protest.
• Significance: Played a key role in the civil rights movement, organizing sit-ins, freedom rides, and marches.
- Rationing
• Definition: Government-controlled
distribution of scarce resources during WWII, including food, gasoline, and rubber.
• Significance: Ensured fair distribution and supported the war effort by conserving essential materials.
- Victory Gardens
• Definition: Homegrown vegetable gardens encouraged during WWIl to supplement food supplies.
• Significance: Helped prevent food shortages and promoted civilian involvement in the war effort.
