Impact of the second World War for African Americans

Question 1

How many African Americans served in the armed forces prior to WWII ?

Answer 1

around 4,000

Question 2

By the end of WWII, how many African Americans had served in the armed forces ?

Answer 2

over 1.2 million

Question 3

At the start of the War, what kind of jobs did African Americans work in the armed forces ?

Answer 3

support troops - menial labour

Question 4

As casualties increased in the war, How did African Americans jobs and roles in the armed forces change ?

Answer 4

start = support troops

casualties increased = infantrymen, airmen, medics and even officers

Question 5

Give 3 all black or mostly black units that existed in WWII.

Answer 5

1) 320th Anti-Aircraft Barrage Balloon Battalion

2) 761st Tank Battalion

3) Tuskegee airmen

Question 6

What kind of reputation did all Black/ mostly black units in WWII earn ?

Answer 6

As they fought their way through Europe, they earned reputations as courageous & honourable soldiers.

Question 7

What happened to Black soldiers during off-duty hours in military towns, especially in the South ?

Answer 7

They were confronted with ugly discrimination and segregation

Question 8

What was the Double V Campaign ?

Answer 8

Victory at home demanding equality and civil rights advancements for African Americans.

Victory abroad championed military success against Hitler’s Nazi Fascist dictatorship.

Question 9

Why did African Americans have a renewed desire for change at home after serving in the war ?

Answer 9

This is because they saw the lack of segregation in places like Britain

Question 10

How did NAACP’s membership change from the beginning to the end of ww2 ?

Answer 10

50,000 –> 450,000

Question 11

What happened to Isaac Woodard in 1946 ?

Answer 11

Isaac Woodard, a retired army sergeant, was on his way home from South Carolina after serving in WWII. He was pulled from the bus and local police chief brutally beat him leaving him blind.

Question 12

What action did Truman take after the blinding of Isaac Woodard ?

Answer 12

Blinding of Woodard after WW2 led to Truman wanting to change things.

Question 13

What kind of exclusion did African Americans face in the armed forces during WW2 ?

Answer 13

they served in segregated units

Question 14

What kind of exclusion did African Americans face in the Navy during WW2 ?

Answer 14

They were virtually excluded

Question 15

What did African Americans during WW2 compare the racial theories of the Nazis to ?

Answer 15

The racist beliefs of Southern States

Question 16

What did African Americans vow to conquer during and after WW2 in terms of racist beliefs ?

Answer 16

African Americans compared the racial theories of the Nazis to the racist beliefs in the Southern states.

This led them to vowing to conquer “Hitlerism without and Hitlerism Within”.

Question 17

What opportunities arose for African Americans at home because of the expansion of America’s wartime economy ?

Answer 17

I enabled Blacks to enter industries they had previously been barred from, leading them to hope for promotion and access to more decision making positions.

Question 18

What did Truman demand an end for in terms of African Americans in the defense industries ?

Answer 18

an end of discrimination

Question 19

How was Truman’s demands for an end of discrimination towards African Americans in defense industries a failure ?

Answer 19

This is because white workers stubbornly resisted the recruitment and promotion of Blacks in these industries.

Question 20

What happened when a shipyard in Alabama, under government pressure, employed a dozen black welders, what happened ?

Answer 20

thousands of white welders rioted

Question 21

What did the Nation of Islam encourage its members to do in term sof conscription to WW2 ?

Answer 21

to refuse to fight in the segregated United States army

Question 22

What happened in 1942 when, the Nation of Islams (NOI’s) leader, Elijah Muhammad refused to fight in the segregated United States army in WW2 ?

Answer 22

He was jailed for breaking the selective Service act.

Question 23

After WW2, how did the membership of the Nation of Islam change ?

Answer 23

grew after World War II to be the most important and controversial Islamic new religious movement in the United States.

tens of thousands, perhaps over one hundred thousand joined the NOI.

Question 24

What was Truman’s reaction to the treatment of Black soldiers after WW2 ?

Answer 24

He was horrified

Question 25

How did the Red Cross exclude African Americans ?

Answer 25

Wouldn’t accept blood donations from African Americans.

They later accepted it however it was stored separately.

Question 26

How many people were involved in the race riot in Detroit (Mid West) in 1943 ?

Answer 26

100,000

Question 27

How many deaths were there in the race riot in Detroit in 1943 ?

Answer 27

34