American Wars: The Role Of African Americans In The Vietnam War
The Role of African Americans in American Wars
Imagine fighting a war for the freedom of a country in which you yourself were not free. Could you fight for a country that had enslaved you, a place where you have few or no civil rights? Throughout the history of American wars, these were the types of issues that African Americans had to deal with. They were forced, and many times volunteered, to serve, protect, defend, and preserve the freedom of the United States. They went to war for a country in which they were segregated, treated unequally, and in early times, not even considered a person. At first, African Americans joined the military to fight for freedom from slavery. Later, the reason they joined evolved into a battle for equality …show more content…
and civil rights. The role and treatment of African Americans in times of war in America has changed over the course of history from behind the scenes manual labor, discrimination, and segregation to fighting on the front lines in combat, acceptance and integration. In this paper I will examine the changing roles and treatment of African Americans in five different American wars over the course of two-hundred years: The Revolutionary War, The Civil War, WWI, WWII, and The Vietnam War. The American Revolutionary War was fought from 1775 to 1883. During the war, the thirteen American colonies fought for their freedom from British rule. At the same time, African Americans were fighting for their freedom from slavery. African Americans fought on both sides of the war. They made their decision about which side to support based on who they felt offered them their best chance at freedom. Elizabeth Goodridge, a writer from U.S News and World Report, cites Edward Rugemer, a Yale University Professor of African American History, in her article, who supports this claim by stating, “whenever there is a war that the masters are involved in, the enslaved people take advantage of the situation” (Goodridge). According to Goodridge , in 1775, reacting to southerners’ fear that arming blacks would lead to a slave rebellion, George Washington, leader of the Continental Army, decreed that “no black, free or enslaved, could be recruited to fight” (Goodridge). Many white soldiers had also complained about fighting with men who they thought were inferior to them. Washington was forced to reverse his decision in 1777 due to a major shortage of soldiers, and he promised African Americans freedom from slavery in exchange for military service. British loyalist, Lord Dunmore, also promised blacks freedom in exchange for joining the British Army. The blacks had to deal with bigotry no matter who they fought for. On the British side, in most cases, they were not permitted to fight along white soldiers and were often assigned to manual labor such as, digging ditches, working as cooks and servants for officers, and acting as boat pilots. Most Continental regiments were integrated, but there were some all black regiments with white leaders that fought bravely on both sides. According to Goodridge, “an estimated 5,000 African Americans picked up arms to fight for independence during the Revolutionary War” (Goodridge). They helped to build the size of the Continental Army and that helped the Americans to win the war. The end of the war brought about some positive changes for the African Americans. Goodridge explains that, “the revolution did help launch an emancipation movement that would outlaw slavery in the North” (Goodridge). In the South, however, slavery remained in practice until the end of the Civil War in 1865. During the Civil War, which began in 1861, African Americans once again found themselves fighting in a war for their freedom from slavery. The northern states wanted to abolish slavery while the southern states wanted to preserve their right to own slaves. When war first broke out between the North and South, African Americans were unable to fight due to a law passed in 1792 forbidding them from bearing arms in the U.S. Army, even though they had served in the Revolutionary War. According to the article “Black Soldiers in the Civil War,” “in mid- 1862 the escalating number of former slaves, the decreasing number of white volunteers, and the increasingly pressing personnel needs of the Union army led the government to reconsider the ban” (“Black Soldiers in the Civil War”). As in the Revolutionary War, blacks fought on both sides, but the majority fought for the Union for a better chance at freedom from slavery. Those who fought for the South were enslaved blacks who served, usually unwillingly, as laborers. Many of the same prejudices they faced in the Revolutionary War they faced again in the Civil War. Even those who fought for the North had to face bigotry and discrimination. In the article entitled “Black Soldiers in the Civil War” it states that, “because of prejudice against them, blacks were not used in combat as extensively as they might have been” (“Black Soldiers in the Civil War”). According to this same article, most black soldiers in the Union Army, “served in artillery and infantry and performed all non-combat support functions that sustain an army, as well” (“Black Soldiers in the Civil War”). Black soldiers faced many hardships that white soldiers did not, such as, unequal pay and inadequate training. Blacks also faced greater danger in the event they were captured by the Confederate Army, who threatened to enslave, shoot, or torture them. About 10 percent of the Union’s Army was made up of black men. Many others served in the Navy or worked as cooks, nurses, spies, guards, and laborers. They helped the North to win a war that would eventually put an end to slavery in America. When it became clear the United States was going to enter WWI, African Americans saw it as a chance to demonstrate that they were worthy of equal rights and full citizenship. In 1917, when WWI began, African Americans were still being treated unequally. According to an article written by Jami Bryan, managing editor of On Point, “they saw [WWI] as an opportunity to prove their loyalty, patriotism, and worthiness for equal treatment in the U.S.” (Bryan). Up until WWI blacks were still being turned down for military service. Realizing that the current army size of 126,000 would not be enough to win in Europe, Bryan explains that on May 18, 1917 “Congress passed The Selective Service Act requiring all male citizens between 21 and 31 register for the draft” (Bryan). Draft boards, which were made up of all white men, turned to a different form of discrimination against blacks. According to Bryan, and instead of turning them away as they had done in the past, “the draft boards [now] were doing all they could to bring them into service, southern draft boards in particular” (Bryan). Bryan goes on to say, “blacks were told to tear off one corner of their draft cards so they could be easily identified and inducted separately” (Bryan). Many whites were excused from service due to physical reasons while very few blacks were excused. Blacks in WWI could not serve in all branches of the military. They were barred from serving in the marines and those that served in the army were kept from serving in combat units. After the Civil War four all black army regiments were formed and they were still present when WWI started. They were not used overseas for combat, they stayed in the U.S. The black people were so angered by this that it was decided that two black combat units would be created and be lead by black officers. According to Bryan, “it was decided that the Army would create a segregated, but supposedly equal, officer training camp that would open its doors in May 1917” (Bryan). When the war ended in November of 1918, instead of being treated as heros, they came home to increased racial tension. Whites were afraid that blacks would come home expecting equality and several anti-black riots broke out across the country. Even after being treated this way African American men still signed up for military service. When America entered WWII after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, African Americans were still struggling for their civil rights. Unlike in WWI, they were now able to join almost all branches of the military, but the draft was still segregated and the practice of blacks being passed over by all white draft boards, which had somewhat been reversed in WWI, was once again occurring. According to the article “African Americans in WWII: Fighting for a Double Victory,” at the beginning of the war, most of the African Americans, “were assigned to non-combat units and relegated to service duties, such as supply, maintenance, and transportation, the work [they did] behind front lines was equally vital to the war effort” (“African Americans in WWII”). Due to troop loses, by 1945 the article “African Americans in WWII: Fighting for a Double Victory” maintains that “the military increasingly began to put black troops into positions as infantrymen, pilots, tankers, medics, and officers in increasing numbers” (“African Americans in WWII”). Even so, blacks were still facing discrimination, for example, black MP’s were barred from entering the places where white German prisoners were eating their meals. The Double V, or Double Victory Campaign was created by African American leaders during WWII. It stood for a victory over the enemy overseas and a victory over racism, discrimination and prejudice at home. The U.S. military remained officially segregated until 1948, but WWII helped to pave the way for the integration of the military by President Harry S. Truman. Despite his orders, however, black soldiers were still kept in separate units during the Korean War which lasted until 1953. The peak of American involvement in the Vietnam War occurred at the same time as the Civil Rights Movement.
Many blacks wondered why they were fighting for the freedom of a country so far away when they were not fully free at home themselves. Racial tensions were high during the war. This was the first major conflict in which the military was fully integrated. The attitude that black men were not fit for combat had changed and more African Americans served in Vietnam than had ever served in any other U.S. conflict. They also had much higher casualty rates because many more of them were finding themselves on the front lines of battle. Racism was still prevalent in the Vietnam War. In 1967 many southern draft boards were still made up of all white men. Many blacks felt that they were being targeted for the draft. According to James Maycock, a writer for The Guardian, “of the 246,000 men recruited between October 1966 and June 1969, 41 percent were black although black Americans only represented 11 percent of the population” (Maycock). Some blacks even felt that the draft was an attempt at genocide. The military justice system in Vietnam often showed prejudice against black soldiers. Maycock explains that, “black servicemen were frequently sentenced to longer terms than their white counterparts [for the same crimes]” (Maycock). Racial slurs were often used when referring to black servicemen, and there were many reports of white soldiers discriminating against black soldiers. Maycock gives the example that often “white soldiers refused to pick up exhausted black soldiers in their jeeps” (Maycock). Black culture was also ignored by the military, from their music to their hairstyles. Maycock claims that, “army barbers were not trained to cut black hair, although the merest hint of an afro was penalized, sometime with jail time” (Maycock). Racial tensions increased and race riots broke out on several military bases and naval ships. The army dealt with this issue very
quickly and worked to make reforms. They investigated all areas in which discrimination and prejudice had been prevalent and introduced Mandatory Watch and Action Committees to each unit. This sent a message of acceptance to African Americans. The actions of the military made it clear that it would no longer tolerate racism. According to Maycock, the defiance of the black servicemen rioting up against racism in Vietnam and the militaries impressive speed in instigating myriad reforms “created a robust and positive legacy for the next generation of black soldiers” (Maycock). African Americans played a large role in Vietnam. Many were well trained professionals, and about 20 received the Medal of Honor for their service during the war. After the war many re-enlisted despite what they went through, and by 1976 they made up over 15 percent of the men in the armed forces.
Imagine fighting a war for the freedom of a country in which you yourself were not free. Could you fight for a country that had enslaved you, a place where you have few or no civil rights? Throughout the history of American wars, these were the types of issues that African Americans had to deal with. They were forced, and many times volunteered, to serve, protect, defend, and preserve the freedom of the United States. They went to war for a country in which they were segregated, treated unequally, and in early times, not even considered a person. At first, African Americans joined the military to fight for freedom from slavery. Later, the reason they joined evolved into a battle for equality …show more content…
and civil rights. The role and treatment of African Americans in times of war in America has changed over the course of history from behind the scenes manual labor, discrimination, and segregation to fighting on the front lines in combat, acceptance and integration. In this paper I will examine the changing roles and treatment of African Americans in five different American wars over the course of two-hundred years: The Revolutionary War, The Civil War, WWI, WWII, and The Vietnam War. The American Revolutionary War was fought from 1775 to 1883. During the war, the thirteen American colonies fought for their freedom from British rule. At the same time, African Americans were fighting for their freedom from slavery. African Americans fought on both sides of the war. They made their decision about which side to support based on who they felt offered them their best chance at freedom. Elizabeth Goodridge, a writer from U.S News and World Report, cites Edward Rugemer, a Yale University Professor of African American History, in her article, who supports this claim by stating, “whenever there is a war that the masters are involved in, the enslaved people take advantage of the situation” (Goodridge). According to Goodridge , in 1775, reacting to southerners’ fear that arming blacks would lead to a slave rebellion, George Washington, leader of the Continental Army, decreed that “no black, free or enslaved, could be recruited to fight” (Goodridge). Many white soldiers had also complained about fighting with men who they thought were inferior to them. Washington was forced to reverse his decision in 1777 due to a major shortage of soldiers, and he promised African Americans freedom from slavery in exchange for military service. British loyalist, Lord Dunmore, also promised blacks freedom in exchange for joining the British Army. The blacks had to deal with bigotry no matter who they fought for. On the British side, in most cases, they were not permitted to fight along white soldiers and were often assigned to manual labor such as, digging ditches, working as cooks and servants for officers, and acting as boat pilots. Most Continental regiments were integrated, but there were some all black regiments with white leaders that fought bravely on both sides. According to Goodridge, “an estimated 5,000 African Americans picked up arms to fight for independence during the Revolutionary War” (Goodridge). They helped to build the size of the Continental Army and that helped the Americans to win the war. The end of the war brought about some positive changes for the African Americans. Goodridge explains that, “the revolution did help launch an emancipation movement that would outlaw slavery in the North” (Goodridge). In the South, however, slavery remained in practice until the end of the Civil War in 1865. During the Civil War, which began in 1861, African Americans once again found themselves fighting in a war for their freedom from slavery. The northern states wanted to abolish slavery while the southern states wanted to preserve their right to own slaves. When war first broke out between the North and South, African Americans were unable to fight due to a law passed in 1792 forbidding them from bearing arms in the U.S. Army, even though they had served in the Revolutionary War. According to the article “Black Soldiers in the Civil War,” “in mid- 1862 the escalating number of former slaves, the decreasing number of white volunteers, and the increasingly pressing personnel needs of the Union army led the government to reconsider the ban” (“Black Soldiers in the Civil War”). As in the Revolutionary War, blacks fought on both sides, but the majority fought for the Union for a better chance at freedom from slavery. Those who fought for the South were enslaved blacks who served, usually unwillingly, as laborers. Many of the same prejudices they faced in the Revolutionary War they faced again in the Civil War. Even those who fought for the North had to face bigotry and discrimination. In the article entitled “Black Soldiers in the Civil War” it states that, “because of prejudice against them, blacks were not used in combat as extensively as they might have been” (“Black Soldiers in the Civil War”). According to this same article, most black soldiers in the Union Army, “served in artillery and infantry and performed all non-combat support functions that sustain an army, as well” (“Black Soldiers in the Civil War”). Black soldiers faced many hardships that white soldiers did not, such as, unequal pay and inadequate training. Blacks also faced greater danger in the event they were captured by the Confederate Army, who threatened to enslave, shoot, or torture them. About 10 percent of the Union’s Army was made up of black men. Many others served in the Navy or worked as cooks, nurses, spies, guards, and laborers. They helped the North to win a war that would eventually put an end to slavery in America. When it became clear the United States was going to enter WWI, African Americans saw it as a chance to demonstrate that they were worthy of equal rights and full citizenship. In 1917, when WWI began, African Americans were still being treated unequally. According to an article written by Jami Bryan, managing editor of On Point, “they saw [WWI] as an opportunity to prove their loyalty, patriotism, and worthiness for equal treatment in the U.S.” (Bryan). Up until WWI blacks were still being turned down for military service. Realizing that the current army size of 126,000 would not be enough to win in Europe, Bryan explains that on May 18, 1917 “Congress passed The Selective Service Act requiring all male citizens between 21 and 31 register for the draft” (Bryan). Draft boards, which were made up of all white men, turned to a different form of discrimination against blacks. According to Bryan, and instead of turning them away as they had done in the past, “the draft boards [now] were doing all they could to bring them into service, southern draft boards in particular” (Bryan). Bryan goes on to say, “blacks were told to tear off one corner of their draft cards so they could be easily identified and inducted separately” (Bryan). Many whites were excused from service due to physical reasons while very few blacks were excused. Blacks in WWI could not serve in all branches of the military. They were barred from serving in the marines and those that served in the army were kept from serving in combat units. After the Civil War four all black army regiments were formed and they were still present when WWI started. They were not used overseas for combat, they stayed in the U.S. The black people were so angered by this that it was decided that two black combat units would be created and be lead by black officers. According to Bryan, “it was decided that the Army would create a segregated, but supposedly equal, officer training camp that would open its doors in May 1917” (Bryan). When the war ended in November of 1918, instead of being treated as heros, they came home to increased racial tension. Whites were afraid that blacks would come home expecting equality and several anti-black riots broke out across the country. Even after being treated this way African American men still signed up for military service. When America entered WWII after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, African Americans were still struggling for their civil rights. Unlike in WWI, they were now able to join almost all branches of the military, but the draft was still segregated and the practice of blacks being passed over by all white draft boards, which had somewhat been reversed in WWI, was once again occurring. According to the article “African Americans in WWII: Fighting for a Double Victory,” at the beginning of the war, most of the African Americans, “were assigned to non-combat units and relegated to service duties, such as supply, maintenance, and transportation, the work [they did] behind front lines was equally vital to the war effort” (“African Americans in WWII”). Due to troop loses, by 1945 the article “African Americans in WWII: Fighting for a Double Victory” maintains that “the military increasingly began to put black troops into positions as infantrymen, pilots, tankers, medics, and officers in increasing numbers” (“African Americans in WWII”). Even so, blacks were still facing discrimination, for example, black MP’s were barred from entering the places where white German prisoners were eating their meals. The Double V, or Double Victory Campaign was created by African American leaders during WWII. It stood for a victory over the enemy overseas and a victory over racism, discrimination and prejudice at home. The U.S. military remained officially segregated until 1948, but WWII helped to pave the way for the integration of the military by President Harry S. Truman. Despite his orders, however, black soldiers were still kept in separate units during the Korean War which lasted until 1953. The peak of American involvement in the Vietnam War occurred at the same time as the Civil Rights Movement.
Many blacks wondered why they were fighting for the freedom of a country so far away when they were not fully free at home themselves. Racial tensions were high during the war. This was the first major conflict in which the military was fully integrated. The attitude that black men were not fit for combat had changed and more African Americans served in Vietnam than had ever served in any other U.S. conflict. They also had much higher casualty rates because many more of them were finding themselves on the front lines of battle. Racism was still prevalent in the Vietnam War. In 1967 many southern draft boards were still made up of all white men. Many blacks felt that they were being targeted for the draft. According to James Maycock, a writer for The Guardian, “of the 246,000 men recruited between October 1966 and June 1969, 41 percent were black although black Americans only represented 11 percent of the population” (Maycock). Some blacks even felt that the draft was an attempt at genocide. The military justice system in Vietnam often showed prejudice against black soldiers. Maycock explains that, “black servicemen were frequently sentenced to longer terms than their white counterparts [for the same crimes]” (Maycock). Racial slurs were often used when referring to black servicemen, and there were many reports of white soldiers discriminating against black soldiers. Maycock gives the example that often “white soldiers refused to pick up exhausted black soldiers in their jeeps” (Maycock). Black culture was also ignored by the military, from their music to their hairstyles. Maycock claims that, “army barbers were not trained to cut black hair, although the merest hint of an afro was penalized, sometime with jail time” (Maycock). Racial tensions increased and race riots broke out on several military bases and naval ships. The army dealt with this issue very
quickly and worked to make reforms. They investigated all areas in which discrimination and prejudice had been prevalent and introduced Mandatory Watch and Action Committees to each unit. This sent a message of acceptance to African Americans. The actions of the military made it clear that it would no longer tolerate racism. According to Maycock, the defiance of the black servicemen rioting up against racism in Vietnam and the militaries impressive speed in instigating myriad reforms “created a robust and positive legacy for the next generation of black soldiers” (Maycock). African Americans played a large role in Vietnam. Many were well trained professionals, and about 20 received the Medal of Honor for their service during the war. After the war many re-enlisted despite what they went through, and by 1976 they made up over 15 percent of the men in the armed forces.