(Impact of the New Deal on ethnic minorities) Contributions of ethnic minorities to the war effort

Question 1

Black americans - in 19__, there were fewer than ______ black americans in the armed forces and only ___ officers.

Answer 1

a) 1941
b) 4,000
c) 12

Question 2

Black americans - what did the 1940 Selective Service Training Act state?

Answer 2

No one should face discrimination when applying for training.

Question 3

Black americans - by 1945, how many black americans were serving in the war, despite the 1940 Selective Service Training Act?

Answer 3

Only 1.2 million

Question 4

Black americans - what did the military role of black americans look like?

Give 2 examples.

Answer 4

Non combat

Ferrying supplies & cooks

Question 5

Black americans - when did the armed services become integrated?

Answer 5

1948

Question 6

Black americans - the armed services were __________ for black americans.

Answer 6

Segregated

Question 7

Black americans - what did losses in battle eventually mean?

Give evidence.

Answer 7

Black soldiers were eventually needed for fighting.

17,000 black soldiers were part of D-Day landings and many distinguished themselves in fighting roles.

Question 8

Black americans - how many black americans moved up north during WW2?

Answer 8

More than 1 million

Question 9

Black americans - what did black americans face in the home front?

Answer 9

Discrimination in job roles and housing

Question 10

Black americans - what did black leaders in the home front call for?
What ended up happening?

Answer 10

A March on Washington in 1941 to highlight their grievances regarding discrimination in job roles and housing.

FDR met with them the day before and the march was called off.

Question 11

Black americans - what did Roosevelt issue on June 25th, 1941 after listening to black leaders’ complaints about discrimination in job roles and housing?

What did this do?

Answer 11

Executive Order 8805

Banned discrimination in defence plants and set up the Fair Employment Practices Committee to make sure this was carried out.

Question 12

Black americans - give evidence of Executive Order 8805 having an effect.

Answer 12

Employment of black Americans in defence plants increased by almost 4%

Question 13

Black americans - what was the ‘Double V Campaign’?

What year?

Answer 13

1942

Encouraged black americans both in the armed services and the Home Front to fight for victory against the Axis powers, and for victory against prejudice and discrimination at home.

Question 14

Native americans - how many native americans fought in WW2 at any one time?

Answer 14

25,000

Question 15

Native americans - where did native americans mainly fight?

Answer 15

In the Pacific (Japan)

Question 16

Native americans - what kind of units did native americans work in?

Answer 16

Desegregated

Question 17

Native americans - what did many native americans do?

Answer 17

420 Navajo Indians became code talkers as their language too complex for the Japanese to crack the messages.

Question 18

Hispanic americans - how many joined the armed services?

How many worked in shipyards of LA?

Answer 18

500,000

17,000

Question 19

Hispanic americans - what was the Bracero Programme?

2

Answer 19

From August 1942, Mexicans were recruited to work in agriculture, mines, munitions and railroads to meet demand of shortages in labour.

Most were paid at the lowest rate and faced discrimination and lack of opportunities.

Question 20

Hispanic americans - what is the context surrounding the Bracero Programme?

Answer 20

Up to 2 million Mexican workers were deported 1929 - 1936 to make jobs for white Americans.

Question 21

Hispanic americans - what were the ‘zoot-suiters’ racial attacks?

(2)

Answer 21

June 1943 - around LA shipyards, white workers and sailors randomly attacked young male hispanic americans dressed in “zoot-suits”.

The authorities turned a blind eye.

Question 22

Japanese americans - how did japanese americans suffer during WW2 compared to other ethnicities?

Answer 22

The most

Question 23

Japanese americans - what happened following the Japan attack on Pearl Harbour?

What were the consequences?

Answer 23

400,000 japanese americans on the West Coast were forced to leave their homes and relocate to internment camps in the desert.

Combined estimated loss of $400 million for which most japanese americans weren’t compensated for.