USA HISTORY

The experiences of African Americans serving in the military forces during World War II influenced their postwar decision to

(A) renew support for the principle of separate but equal

(B) join the armed forces in record numbers

(C) ** increase efforts to end racial discrimination

(D) move back to the rural south

Concept note-1: -Black soldiers returning from the war found the same socioeconomic ills and racist violence that they faced before. Despite their sacrifices overseas, they still struggled to get hired for well-paying jobs, encountered segregation and endured targeted brutality, especially while wearing their military uniforms.

Concept note-2: -Stereotyping and discrimination meant that most African American soldiers were never placed in active combat roles; they were assigned mostly to labor-intensive service positions with little responsibility. They were often issued less equipment and fewer supplies than their white counterparts.

Concept note-3: -Black draftees were treated with extreme hostility when they arrived for training. White men refused to salute black officers and black officers were often barred from the officer’s clubs and quarters. The War Department rarely interceded, and discrimination was usually overlooked or sometimes condoned.

Concept note-4: -Black carpenters, chaplains, cooks, guards, laborers, nurses, scouts, spies, steamboat pilots, surgeons, and teamsters also contributed to the war cause.