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
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