The Impact of WWII on Native Americans and blacks essays

The Impact of WWII on Native Americans and blacks essays World War Two changed the lives of millions of people throughout the world. Never before had warfare taken such a toll on humanity. For most, this war was a horrible event that did nothing but take the lives of loved ones. Nothing good could have came from such carnage. Or could it? One thing that people have learned through the generations is that in order for things to get better, they often have to get worse first. People were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for the betterment of their culture. In the cases of Native Americans and African Americans, the war proved to be a stage in which they could prove themselves to the world, and try to fight for a better life. African Americans and Native Americans had vastly different experiences during the war. A large majority of Indians made a smooth transition into the military, joining non-segregated units, unlike blacks who still had to obey local Jim Crow laws. Indians were often openly embraced by their white counterparts, and were indiscriminately called Chief by their buddies. Some would think this as a derogatory term, but the Indians took it as a positive reference to their ancestors who had been great warriors. Many whites wanted to fight alongside the Indians, for as the American Legion Magazine put it: The red soldier is tough. Usually he has lived outdoors all his life, and lived by his senses; he is a natural Ranger. He takes to fighting with gusto. Why not? His ancestors invented it.... At ambushing, scouting, signaling sniping, theyre peerless. Some can smell a snake yards away and hear the faintest movement; all endure thirst and lack of food better that average. Indians had been stereotyped for generations, and it was hard to distinguish whether or not these observations had been stereotyped as well. It is known that the Indians tried to live up to these expectations, and often exceeded them. They were integrated into the militar...