Race and injustice was preasant in World War 1 for African Americans. Before the war, Blacks were very ambitious about joining hoping that they could earn more rights and respect. Over one million showed up for the draft. Only to find out that during the war most Acfrican American soldiers were not in the trenches but rather digging them. And they were even more disappointed that when the war was over things almost got worse, with the introducement of the Jim Crow laws treating their race like they are less than human.
They... ... middle of paper ... ...ued because of what they have done. American men were called to war after America broke its isolationism and they lost their previous jobs in order to exhibit their patriotism. In America even if WWI was fought overseas, and there were necessary battles to be fought at home for many Americans. African Americans fought to work in the North for improved lives, women fought for suffrage and to help by working for the war effort, German-Americans and other immigrants were suppressed so no uprisings occurred from radicals, and men fought for their country. Overall, America experienced changes politically, economically, and socially but it also showed their patriotism and how they were able to cope with bringing involved in foreign affair which later led them not to approve of the League of Nations because of the pain and change internationalism has caused them.
One of the lasting impacts of both world wars was the Great Migration of African Americans from the rural South to the industrialised and urban North, which dramatically shifted the geographical centre of African American population and changed the racial balance of the country. War related industries such as weapon production grew exponentially in the... ... middle of paper ... ... Though both wars had a significant influence on the lives of African Americans it was also a period of disillusionment, not the transformative years that would mark the end of freedom struggles in which was hoped. Nevertheless the war years allowed African Americans to make remarkable strides ahead in terms of military service, socio-economics and politics. The northward shift provided African Americans with better job opportunities, greater prosperity and with that came greater health.
The reconstruction of the south after the Civil War was one of the biggest struggles of nation because of the turmoil and dramatic change in the country. The South was faced with the issue of black citizens and that they will have equal rights that the whites have. Additionally, the emancipation of slaves caused many riots and conflicts because the white citizens did not approve of the fact that their society is integrated. The biggest issue that the South faced was trying to incorporate the newly freed slaves into the society because they are uneducated and are unable to sustain themselves economically. The death of Abe Lincoln proved harmful to the nation because the Congress and Johnson were not able to agree on a reconstruction plan and they had different opinions.
At the end of the Civil war, the Union was faced with rebuilding a war torn nation. The North and South were no longer at war but their differing views on government, race, and individual rights created a deep divide in the country. The war brought freedom to 3.5 million former slaves but also for many women. (Gillon & Matson p.571) With men at war or not returning from the war, women possessed a new level of independence. Blacks and women wanted to be treated fair; they wanted their voices to have relevance in the shaping America.
Less than a month later, atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan (Rosenberg). There are many people who oppose the use of the atomic bombs; though there are some that believe it was a necessity in ending the war. President Truman realized the tragic significance of the atomic bomb and made his decision to use it to shorten the agony of young Americans (“Was the Atomic Bombing”). The president knew of the way the Japanese fought. They fought to the death and they were brutal to prisoners of war.
In order for them to achieve this, the white southerners came up with the Jim Crow laws to prevent the African Americans from achieving their god given right of being free and equal. This did not end the African hope of becoming equal. After many years of mistreatment, African Americans knew that change in society was necessary. The members of the black population have been enslaved, beaten, abused, neglected and just taken advantage of, since the end of the civil war, even into present times, African Americans have struggled for equality and rights that white Americans often take for granted. Arguably, no post-war struggle was larger or more significant than the movement to eliminate the Jim Crow laws from existence in the South.
With the war just beginning, ex-slaves and other African Americans wanted to get in on the action. They wanted to fight against those who had enslaved them and their families for generations. They began volunteering and trying to enlist, but everywhere they went they were rejected. "In general, white soldiers and officers believed that black men lacked the courage to fight and fight well'; (History of African-Americans in the Civil War). Even some abolitionists believed putting them in the battlefield would be putting African Americans higher than they should be.
“For African Americans, World War II was a fight on two fronts. It was a struggle to prevail over the nation’s external enemies and a battle against a familiar home-grown foe: bigotry” (Allen). When World War II began in Europe in 1939, blacks demanded better treatment than they had experienced during World War I. Black newspaper editors insisted during 1939 and 1940 that black support for this war effort would depend on fair treatment. They demanded that black soldiers be trained in all military roles and that black civilians have equal opportunities to work in war industries at home.
The technology of building the atomic bomb has spurred some useful innovations that can be applied through the use of nuclear power. The fear of a potential nuclear attack had been heightened by the media and its release of movies impacting on public opinion and fear of nuclear devastation. The lives lost after the detonation of the atomic bombs have become warning signs that changed global thinking and caused preventative actions. The Atomic Bomb The devastation brought about by the atomic bomb has caused fear among all the people that have realized the potential destructive power of its invention. The atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9, 1945 completely obliterated both cities (Lanouette 30).