Section 5: The Social Impact of the War Chapter 25 Section 5: The Social Impact of the War

African Americans Economic discrimination Employers requested “whites only” during the Depression June 25, 1941 FDR signed Executive Order 8802, opening jobs & job training programs in defense plants to ALL Americans

Also created the Fair Employment Practices Committee to hear complaints about job discrimination in defense industries & the government Committee had no real power March to protest was called off

African Americans shared in wartime prosperity 1940’s more than 2 million moved to the north to find new job opportunities, but encountered new problems Segregation Fear & resentment from whites Escalated into violence

Launched a “Double V” campaign Divided Opinions 1942 poll: 6 of 10 whites thought African Americans were satisfied with existing conditions & needed no new opportunities Launched a “Double V” campaign Victory against the Axis Victory in winning equality

Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) Chicago 1942 Believed in using nonviolent techniques to end racism Sit ins

Mexican Americans The Bracero Program 1942 agreement between Mexico & the US that provided transportation, food, shelter, & medical care for thousands of Braceros 1942-47 more than 200,000 worked on farms

Zoot Suit Riots Mexican Americans began to wear “zoot suits” (long draped jackets & baggy pants with tight cuffs) Often wore slicked back “ducktail” haircut Offended many people

Groups of sailors roamed the streets in search of zoot suiters & would beat & humiliate them for looking un-American June 1943- street fighting grew into full scale riots Newspapers usually blamed the Mexicans Army & Navy eventually intervened by restricting GI’s off duty access to LA

Native Americans 25,000 joined the armed forces Many migrated to urban centers to work in defense plants 23,000 worked in war industries

Japanese Americans Experienced strong racial prejudice after Pearl Harbor Hostility grew into hatred & hysteria

Japanese Internment Government decided to remove all “aliens” from the west coast Executive Order 9066 Authorized the Secretary of War to establish military zones on the west coast & remove “any or all persons” from such zones of Japanese dissent.

Government set up the War Relocation Authority to move out everyone of Japanese ancestry They would be interned in camps in remote areas far from the coast Many lost their businesses, farms, homes, & other assets

All camps were located in desolate areas Families lived in wooden barracks covered with cots, blankets, & a light bulb Shared toilets, bathing & dining facilities Barbed wire surrounded the camps & armed guards patrolled the grounds

Legal Challenges 4 cases eventually reached the Supreme Court, which ruled that war time relocation was constitutional Korematsu v. US (1944)- ruled that the relocation policy was not based on race

1945- government allowed Japanese Americans to leave the camps 1988- Congress passed a law awarding each surviving Japanese American internee a tax free payment of $120,000

Japanese Americans in the Military Refused to accept them until 1943 More than 17,000 fought More were Nisei

Working Women New Kinds of Job Before the war, most who worked were young & single Mainly as secretaries, sales clerks, servants, etc.

Except teaching & nursing few entered professional careers Almost everywhere women earned less than men Number of working women rose by 1/3 Rosie the Riveter

Benefits & Problems of Employment Gave them self confidence & economic independence Generally African American women worked in cooking, cleaning, child care, & other domestic jobs

When they applied for defense jobs, they were often prejudiced against Some fought back through lawsuits 1940-44 percent of African American women in industrial jobs increased from 6.8% to 18%

Problems Hostile reactions from other workers Earned less pay Child care issues Had to rely on family & friends Also has household chores

After the War Assumed that when the war was over, women would leave their jobs & return home Many wanted to continue working