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Roles Women Play In The Military
Roles Women Play In The Military
Roles Women Play In The Military
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Lieutenant Willis Steward Keith, the last captain of the Caine, says, “Every hour spent on the Caine was a great hour in all our lives –– if you don’t think so now you will later on, more and more” in Herman Wouk’s novel, The Caine Mutiny (526-527). This novel is the story of the life of a young man, Willie Keith, and his career in the United States Navy. The novel is set during World War II, a time of great struggle and hardship for Americans. The life of a naval officer in the World War II era, as portrayed in The Caine Mutiny, had many hardships, some similar to those experienced by present-day naval officers and some different.
Willie Keith begins his naval career by being constantly on the move. From the east coast, to the west coast, to Hawaii, and finally to the Caine, Keith moves from place to place even before his true naval career begins. Due to the drastic reduction of jobs during the Great Depression, many people joined the military to achieve financial security (Bernatitus). The economic climate of the nation was very unstable at the time, even in the military. As a result of this instability, morale of the servicemen diminished incrementally. Another cause of low morale was the incessant feeling of danger, especially for those on vessels in a combat theater. Scientists and researchers, who allowed wartime science and technology to advance rapidly, reduced this feeling of danger (Brinkley 746). To increase morale, the United Service Organizations provided servicemen with leisure activities and shows conducted by women (Brinkley 753). For many servicemen, their loved ones met them when they were in port. May Wynn, Keith’s significant other, often meets up with Keith at the ports where he stops. This causes her to in...
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...ican History: A Survey. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007.
“Courts-Martials Explained.” Military.com. 07 Apr. 2010. .
"Frequently Asked Questions." Medal of Honor, USN Recipients. Department of the Navy. 13 Apr. 2010. < http://www.navy.mil/moh/faq.html>.
"An Introduction to Super Stars: The History of the Navy's Black Admirals." Commander Jim Jackson: Black Stars to Gold Stripes Speaker & Exhibit Series. 13 Apr. 2010. .
U.S. Navy Regulations. Department of the Navy. 07 Apr. 2010. .
“World War II. Segregation Abroad and at Home.” African American Odyssey. 07 Apr. 2010. .
Wouk, Herman. The Caine Mutiny: A Novel of World War II. New York: Back Bay, 2003.
Making Whiteness: the culture of segregation in the south, 1890-1940 is the work of Grace Elizabeth Hale. In her work, she explains the culture of the time between 1890 and 1940. In her book she unravels how the creation of the ‘whiteness’ of white Southerners created the ‘blackness’ identity of southern African Americans. At first read it is difficult to comprehend her use of the term ‘whiteness’, but upon completion of reading her work, notes included, makes sense. She states that racial identities today have been shaped by segregation, “...the Civil War not only freed the slaves, it freed American racism
The United States and World War II. New York: Harper & Row, 1964. Print. The. Feis, Herbert.
The book then shows different ways of how manhood has always played a part in black freedom struggles. Estes starts to explore the participation of black men in World War II, and where the beginning of the civil rights movement began. The World War II used a language of masculinity to increase different ranks of the military, “the notion that are men are more powerful than women, that they should have control over their own lives and the authority over others” (page 7). They were posters that said, “Man the guns”, or “What did you do during the war daddy?” these posters were used to say that man is a protector of the home. World War II also started man power shortages which opened up new advantages for women and minorities, there was less white men. Estes sees this challenge as a white man supremacy, which surfaced around the 1950’s and...
...hought it was interesting learning the various ways people had fought out in the sea, including the ways the young officers would eventually end up becoming the only Five-Star Fleet Admirals. In the book The Admirals the officers (Nimetz, King, Halsey, Leahy) prove that men should not be ranked on their skills or technology alone, but on both areas in a synchronized manner to overcome obstacles and rise above all other elements that stand in the way. The ships that the men grew fond of had become an inspiration to keep moving forward and succeed when it came to the battlefield. This thought would later become the thought that America has adopted to move forward when it comes to technology and build upon what has been learned. Anything from the structure of sea vessels to the artillery it carried did not only aid in war, but it aided in a country that could progress.
World War II." Civil Rights for Minorities During and After World War II. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. .
American minorities made up a significant amount of America’s population in the 1920s and 1930s, estimated to be around 11.9 million people, according to . However, even with all those people, there still was harsh segregation going on. Caucasians made African-Americans work for them as slaves, farmers, babysitters, and many other things in that line. Then when World War II came, “World War II required the reunification and mobilization of Americans as never before” (Module2). They needed to cooperate on many things, even if they didn’t want to. These minorities mainly refer to African, Asian, and Mexican-Americans. They all suffered much pain as they were treated as if they weren’t even human beings. They were separated, looked down upon, and wasn’t given much respect because they had a different culture or their skin color was different. However, the lives of American minorities changed forever as World War 2 impacted them significantly with segregation problems, socially, and in their working lives, both at that time and for generations after.
Those studying the experience of African Americans in World War II consistently ask one central question: “Was World War II a turning point for African Americans?” In elaboration, does World War II symbolize a prolongation of policies of segregation and discrimination both on the home front and the war front, or does it represent the start of the Civil Rights Movement that brought racial equality? The data points to the war experience being a transition leading to the civil rights upheavals of the 1960s.
"The Depression, The New Deal, and World War II." African American Odyssey: (Part 1). N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Mar. 2014.
Black soldiers were sent to war during World War two, and most of them went willingly. Most of them did this to try and ear respect from their white “superiors” by going to fight and perhaps earn an equal standing with the whites. This was not seen, though. For example, Joe Louis, a famous African American boxer joined the army in 1942. The newspaper The New York Amsterdam News depicted Joe serving impeccably dressed white men with the caption of “Why Joe Joined the Army!” This clearly shows how African Americans were treated within the army. This depiction also gives Americans a clear view of the segregation in the army, although they are fighting for the same thing: release the Europeans from the Nazi leader, Hitler. Another example of this, given by Mrs. Charles H. Puryear’s brother, was that when the white lieutenant had Italian prisoners, he wanted the black soldiers to give up their seats to them. He then wonders if one of the Nazi officers would make some of his soldiers give up their seats for prisoners. This sho...
MacArthur, Douglas. “Duty, Honor, Country.” Sylvanus Thayer Award Acceptance. West Point, NY. 12 May, 1962.
Captain Aubrey exhibits and demonstrates leadership characteristics that inspire his crew to be the best that they can be. One of the most important leadership traits that Captain Jack has is a single-minded focus on his purpose. All of his decisions are held up against the g...
...played an excellent model of military ethics. Finally, I showed how my leadership decisions, although not combat related, bear some similarity in vision and ethics to Chesty’s standard, as set seven decades earlier. I can think of no better leader for today’s officers, both commissioned and noncommissioned, to emulate than the most decorated and idolized marine in history.
During this time, the idea of segregation was a very controversial topic among the c...
Army life can be very challenging and a life changing experience. It was very challenging and life changing for me. I was raised by my Grandparents they did everything for me so this was a wakeup call for me on life. An independent person was not I, so I had problems with the changes about to come. Army life is constantly demanding and constantly changing without notice. Although the travel was exciting, army life for me was very challenging because I had to learn to adapt to a new system, to share my life with other soldiers, and to give up many of the comforts of home.