History270WarSociety

From the Journal article A Breath of Freedom : “Black soldiers experienced their occupation duty in Germany as a moment of liberation. Both in Great Britain before the invasion of Normandy and in France during the advance into Germany, black GIs had reported that sense of liberation because of the kindness the white civilian population in those countries had shown them” (43). It is completely embarrassing and honestly disturbing that black American soldiers found more solitude and comfort in a war torn country that had previously slaughtered millions of Jews than their own home country. Sadly, it is undoubtedly true that black soldiers were treated with perpetual malice and violence in the United States during this time. The readings in class have enlightened many to the systemic racism in terms of oppression, verbal abuse, discreditation, and even physical attacks through the military during World War II. Discussed throughout the piece written by Höhn and Klimke, is the idea tha...

Race and/in War  -- Christine Knauer "Since the 1700s, the military and the U.S. government has struggled with engaging racial minorities in its various war efforts while all too often continuing to uphold racial hierarchies and subordination." While reading this chapter, I found the hypocrisy exhibited by society and the U.S. government extremely disheartening. Racism has long been an issue in our nation and even after the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, is still prominent. In this chapter, Knauer points out that the U.S. has fought in many wars to secure the freedom of the American people and help other countries earn the right to democracy and equal rights. But on the home front, the U.S. took an improper and ironic stance on the rights of racial minorities. They pushed for African Americans to fight in these wars for freedom for the country, and yet they still suppressed their rights as Americans and segregated them from white Americans. It's interesting how ...

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