Truman and Desegregation of the Military

Integration by Necessity During the Second World War, though the American military was officially segregated. At the Battle of the Bulge the army asked for African- American volunteers to fight with white troops on the front lines. By the time the German offensive had been turned, many prejudices had broken down among the racially mixed units.

Truman's Civil Rights Agenda Following WWII, the United States had just concluded a war against nations that practiced racism at its most wretched extent, yet the Jim Crow system persisted through much of the country. Following WWII, the United States had just concluded a war against nations that practiced racism at its most wretched extent, yet the Jim Crow system persisted through much of the country. This was especially embarrassing when the United States sought to differentiate itself from the Soviet Union on the basis of freedom. This was especially embarrassing when the United States sought to differentiate itself from the Soviet Union on the basis of freedom. Despite this, any attempt to unseat the Jim Crow system would face daunting political obstacles. Despite this, any attempt to unseat the Jim Crow system would face daunting political obstacles. Although many African-Americans had come to represent a sizable political constituency in many Northern cities, Southern segregationists were sure to block any civil rights legislation in the Senate. Although many African-Americans had come to represent a sizable political constituency in many Northern cities, Southern segregationists were sure to block any civil rights legislation in the Senate.

A. Philip Randolph In late summer 1947, President Truman requested passage of the Universal Military Training program, a preparedness regimen that would require every young man between the ages of eighteen and twenty to be trained for one year as part of a reserve force. In late summer 1947, President Truman requested passage of the Universal Military Training program, a preparedness regimen that would require every young man between the ages of eighteen and twenty to be trained for one year as part of a reserve force. A. Phillip Randolph had criticized the president for not backing his words with action. A. Phillip Randolph had criticized the president for not backing his words with action. In December 1947 Randolph asked the president for a meeting to discuss the bill. In December 1947 Randolph asked the president for a meeting to discuss the bill. By January, Randolph was writing again, this time telling the president that he could not imagine what could have greater urgency on his schedule. By January, Randolph was writing again, this time telling the president that he could not imagine what could have greater urgency on his schedule. Eventually Randolph met with Truman to discuss the Universal Military Training program and Truman’s Civil Rights initiatives. Eventually Randolph met with Truman to discuss the Universal Military Training program and Truman’s Civil Rights initiatives.

Message to Congress on Civil Rights (1948) In 1946, Truman established the President's Committee on Civil Rights by executive order. Their report, To Secure These Rights, which established a federal agenda for ending discrimination, called for a variety of measures including federal anti-lynching legislation and a permanent commission on civil rights. In his 1948 Special Message to Congress on Civil Rights, President Truman outlines ten legislative objectives for strengthening to constitutional rights of minorities. He also outlines the steps to be taken by the federal government to end discrimination.

On 22 March 1948, President Truman received a memo from the Committee Against Jim Crow in Military Service and Training They were criticizing his support of the Universal Military Training bill as it contained no provision to eliminate segregation from the armed forces. Furthermore, the memo criticized Secretary of the Army Kenneth C. Royall for maintaining segregation in the National Guard. Memorandum (22 March 1948)

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