WWII and Discrimination

African Americans

Military Segregation“Separate but equal”Double V CampaignExecutive Order 8802- No employment

discrimination in defense industries based on race, creed, color, or national origin

Fair Employment Practices Commission- civil rights agency to enforce EO 8802

Racial tensions spurred riots in Detroit

Mexican Americans

Bracero Program- 200,000 Mexican workers came to aid U.S. war effort◦Harvest fruit and vegetables◦Build and maintain railroads

Racial tensions between Mexicans and whitesZoot Suit Riots- 2,500 American soldiers and

sailors attack Mexican neighborhoods in Los Angeles

500,000 Hispanic Americans served in armed forces during WWII

Japanese Americans

After Pearl Harbor, racial tensions increase between Japanese immigrants and whites

Attacks on Japanese businesses, homes, etc.Social discriminationFear of Japanese spiesExecutive Order 9066-

◦Declared West Coast a military zone◦Forced Japanese Americans (2/3 citizens) to internment

camps◦Lost homes, businesses, farms, possessions◦1942-1945

Korematsu v. United States- relocation constitutional because of “military urgency”

No Japanese were ever tried for espionage or sabotage

Italian and German Americans

FDR Proclamations, December 8, 1941◦All unnaturalized residents of German and Italian

decent, 14 yrs. and up◦Deemed enemy aliens◦Travel restrictions◦Forced to carry I.D. cards◦Personal property taken◦5,000 arrested◦Forced to live in military internment camps

Native Americans

40,000 Native men and women left reservations to work in defense industries

Alaskan tribes served as territorial defense against Japanese occupation

U.S. used Native resources for war materials- land, oil, helium, lumber, etc.

25,000 Native men served in armed forces◦Navajo Code Talkers