African Americans served valiantly and with distinction in all three theatres of World War Two, while also fighting for their Civil Rights in their own country. While The U.S Armed Forces were segregated until 1948 World War Two laid the groundwork for U.S post-war integration. Up until 1941 there fewer than 4000 active African Americans in the United States Military with only twelve becoming officers. However, by 1945 the U.S military had approximately 1.5 million African Americans serving in Europe, and the Pacific.
While the war was raging on and African Americans were fighting nobly for the U.S, the issue of blacks being segregated in normal life started spilling over into the military. Typically blacks were passed up by the all-white draft boards. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People pressured President Roosevelt to change this and guarantee that African Americans would be enlisted by their percent of the population. Instantly the numbers of blacks in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and the Coast Guard skyrocketed.
In the beginning of the war, African Americans typically served in low ranking noncombat jobs, but their work behind the front lines being just as important in the war effort. Many blacks played a crucial part as drivers in the famous red ball express, in which the convoy of trucks provided half a million tons to allied forces. By 1945 the U.S and allied forces had suffered so much troop loss that African Americans began to be placed into combat service roles, and yet they continued to face racism and segregation.
While the war was raging on and African Americans were fighting nobly for the U.S, the issue of blacks being segregated in normal life started spilling over into the military. Typically blacks were passed up by the all-white draft boards. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People pressured President Roosevelt to change this and guarantee that African Americans would be enlisted by their percent of the population. Instantly the numbers of blacks in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and the Coast Guard skyrocketed.
In the beginning of the war, African Americans typically served in low ranking noncombat jobs, but their work behind the front lines being just as important in the war effort. Many blacks played a crucial part as drivers in the famous red ball express, in which the convoy of trucks provided half a million tons to allied forces. By 1945 the U.S and allied forces had suffered so much troop loss that African Americans began to be placed into combat service roles, and yet they continued to face racism and segregation.
While World War Two was going on African Americans were realizing the irony of fighting overseas for a country that was continuing to unjustly discriminate, segregate, and oppress the blacks. Seeing the fight against a wildly racist leader overseas as an opportunity to bolster their demands for equality many African American organizations banded together to create the Double V Campaign. The campaign stood for a victory over the fascism abroad while also demanding victory over racism on the home front. This refusal of accepting the baseless racism they were facing planted important seeds for the Civil Rights movement.
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_African_Americans
http://www.pacificwarmuseum.org/your-visit/african-americans-in-wwii/
https://www.voanews.com/a/a-13-2005-05-10-voa47-67929177/396374.html
http://www.historynet.com/red-ball-express
http://www.historynet.com/african-american-92nd-infantry-division-fought-in-italy-during-world-war-ii.htm
http://www.pacificwarmuseum.org/your-visit/african-americans-in-wwii/
https://www.voanews.com/a/a-13-2005-05-10-voa47-67929177/396374.html
http://www.historynet.com/red-ball-express
http://www.historynet.com/african-american-92nd-infantry-division-fought-in-italy-during-world-war-ii.htm