Segregation Civil Rights during WWII 04 03 2014 Gunnar Myrdal An American Dilemma 1944 Swedish economist wrote a book Conflict between prejudice of blacks and American creed liberty quality justice Army is promoting facism vs democracy o But still segregated o If America is going to fight for democracy overseas must practice it at home American Women in WWII Women entered the workforce Became social accepted celebrated Women can be seen as a symbol for why were fighting the war Many americans think women should return to their home after the war 1 Women in Military joined in largest numbers during WWII First time they re recruited Not for combat but for support roles Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Services WAVES WAACS Womens Auxilry Army Corp o Women should join the war but only temporary emergency 75 of women didn t leave the US large majority returned to their homes only civilian workforce Office of War Information persuaded women to join the war Rosie the Riveter o rivet drill to fasten together different parts of a machine 2 Women in the Workforce women are working as machinist crane operators car plants o 40 of the aircraft industry forced labor unions to change their demands o maternity leave equal pay for equal work childcare 50 more women working during the war o Many are married this becomes majority accepted Challenges getting paid lower wages take on job plus home roles war production 24 hrs a day childcare wasn t provided higher absentee rates to care for children Marriage Family Juvenile Delinquency More people getting married have more money women marry before men deport Men leave behind pregnant wives making women s challenges worse Gender expectation women shouldn t expect their husbands to be faithful Divorce rate almost doubled during the war slide 13 11D Barbara married Charlie Schools shortage during the war often combined 2 together o Mothers in factories working fathers in the army o Lots of kids dropped out of school o Many writers blamed mothers for working Mexican Americans in WWII Zoot Suit Riots 1943 o Many Mexican teenagers were attacked by the navy o Thought of as thugs gangs o Newspapers often exaggerated the riots blaming the Mexicans o Council Coordinated of Latin American Youths CCLAY Civil rights group trying to remove the attacks Good Neighbor Policy being nice to the other neighboring countries o League of United Latin American Citizens LULAC Found examples of Meixcan American soldiers who were denied admittance into segregated areas Mexican Americans were American citizens English only Tried to embrace Mexican heritage to children teaching Spanish in school Bracero Program 1942 1964 o Partnership between the US and Mexico sending over 4 5 million Mexicans as field workers in agriculture o Brazo army cero field worker o Not citizens of the US o Lasted for 22 years long after the war ended o Suppose to receive decent houses wages but had no rights to unions etc o 300 000 mexicans americans fought in the navy during the war citizens worked in factories emerged in the workforce example as part of the war effort o Mexicans benefited from Japanese Internment Could buy a lot of their goods cheap since they had to be sold quickly Mendez v Westminster 1946 o rented a farm in orange country o Mendez were in Westminister school district wouldn t let their kids attend o Took it to court won a segregation case Guy Gabaldon o Mexican man moved in with his Japanese neighbors Learned their languages etc Joined the internment camps when the Japanese family was taken Joined the Marines told Japanese soliders what americans were doing They gave themselves up cause he told me to Was awarded a civil star spoke Japanese to then soldiers Captured so many Japanese Americans in WWII Roosevelt signed an order Japanese were forced to go to War Relocation Camps 110 000 were sent to these camps 2 3 second generation 70 000 citizens e say born in japan first generation immigrants not as many Germans and Italians were mistreated and sent away Issei vs Nisei JACL Japanese American Citizen League o Issei wanted to preserve their heritage had schools o Niesi forced the JACL only for the 2nd gen wanted to preserve their citizenship Did not approve internment Earl Warren Fifth Column Invasion o FBI gathered suspicious activity for Japan citizens before Pearl Harbor US was having disputes over oil with Japan before the bombing o Many leaders were arrested on Dec 7 Thought they were spies o Fifth Column citizens that try to undermine the country from within thought they were trying to help Japan o Earl Warren governor of California during the war 1942 campaign platform remove the Japanese from California regretted his support for internment during the war Advocated for segregation later in his career War Relocation Authority WRA o War general Well a Japs a Jap There is no way to determine Japan s loyalty o Oversee the forced removal on the East Coast Feared an invasion o Built 10 camps in remote secluded areas away from the coast 10 12 000 o Fall of 1942 shipped the families to the camps Entire family was given 1 room cots 1 lightbulb All people share bathrooms 1 cafeteria No chairs o Wanted to give the control of their lifestyle to the Japanese people Encouraged them to create police force schools etc o The Japanese viewed this as a sacrifice of their war efforts Issei very vocal on their disapproval protested lawsuits o Manzenar Riot at the camps army sent a survey to the Japanese 1 Would they renounce their allegiance to the emperor of Japan 2 Were they willing to serve in the US army Issei couldn t renounce the only country they had citizenship to Nessi worried they d be immediately drafted Loyalty Oath vs Dissent o Supreme court ruled that internment was legal o Upheld Roosevelt s executive order Korematsu v United States 1944 o niessi citizen tried to join the navy failed physical accused his rejection from prejudice o went into hiding o sent to an internment camp o 6 3 ruled that it was a military necessity 3 that voted against 1 Frank Murphy judge for Sweet home governor during sit down strike slide 35 o what led to the loyalty oath that led to the riots o congress gave 20 000 to all surviving internees Patriotism o Used Japanese language skills to translate things sent to the US o Lots of japs fought in combat o Hawaii had the highest jap population o Internment camps allowed men to volunteer won the purple heart award 442nd Regiment Go For Broke Joe Nagata o