What role did people in ethnic minorities take in WWII especially in the US Army. I have seen many films and many documentaries about this war but I can only see ethnic minorities doing menial tasks such as being a cook on a ship. I know that these people were not looked upon highly in that era but why didn't militaries harness their power on the battlefield. I know that in Korea there were many 'Segregated' regiments early in the conflict but they were disbanded near the end. I have heard of no information regarding the role of ethinic minorities in what was a major war.
Native Indians had no official restrictions on where they could serve. A native Indian (do not remember the name) was among marines depicted in the famous Iwo Jima flag raising photo. He was quite a fund raising celebrity in 1945. 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat unit stuffed with Americans of the Japanese descent are among the most decorated US fighting units. There were black segregated infantry, artillery, fighter plane units as well as a few coast guard ships with mostly black crew. Most of the blacks were in "menial" units/jobs. As for desegregation, officially it ended in 1948. "July 26, 1948: President Truman signs Executive Order 9981, which states, "It is hereby declared to be the policy of the President that there shall be equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed services without regard to race, color, religion, or national origin." The order also establishes the President's Committee on Equality of Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed Services. July 26, 1948: Army staff officers state anonymously to the press that Executive Order 9981 does not specifically forbid segregation in the Army. July 27, 1948: Army Chief of Staff General Omar N. Bradley states that desegregation will come to the Army only when it becomes a fact in the rest of American society. July 29, 1948: President Truman states in a press conference that the intent of Executive Order 9981 is to end segregation in the armed forces." Unofficially, segregation was a matter of life until 1950. During early months of the Korean War, casualties were quite high. White reinforcements were in the short supply. Military brass was forced to embrace desegregation as a mean to keep units in more or less fighting shape.
Native Indians from the Navaho (can't remember spelling) tribe were vital in the Pacific theatre because of their native language being used as code (Hummingbird = Dive bomber etc). But I did not know of the segregated units that actually thought in the war.
761st Tank battalion. WWII. Black Americans. 32nd Fighter group, WWII. The aforementioned"Tuskegee airmen". Black Americans. 100th infantry battalion and the 442nd Regimental combat team, WWII. The "Nisei"... Japanese americans serving in American combat units. 54th Massachusetts infantry, American civil war. Black Americans fighting on the side of the North. 35th North Carolina Coloured Volunteers, American civil war. As above. USS Mason, WWII. Black american crewed combat vessel. Some segregated units which come to mind. Do some research on non-combat units too - the "Red Ball Express" in WWII for example. Native americans and blacks were used extensively in intelligence and logistical roles throughout most wars, and minorities were present across the board in most combat units.
Mexicans in WWII http://www.neta.com/~1stbooks/unit1.htm http://www.sp.utexas.edu/~jnicolopulos/cwp3/wvg/htms/ww2.htm http://www.rathbonemuseum.com/MEXICO/MEXPhotos/MEXPhotos.html http://www.utexas.edu/projects/latinoarchives/narratives/vol1no2/ESCUADRON_201/ESCUADRON_201.HTML
The contribution of the Navajo code was huge, as the Japanese were unable to crack it. Believe they made a movie, sorta about it, involving Nic Cage.
This isnt ethnic as it were, but in the British army there were "client" forces of Poles, Czechs, French, Belgians, Dutch, Norwegians, Finns, Danish, pretty much every occupied nation had regiments fighting with the allies. There were also German and Italian exile units i think, and the US wanted to form a division of Spanish Republican refugees to fight. This was turned down, so as not to incite Franco, but there were Spanish units, and Spanish soldiers were sought out as commandoes in particular. The USSR of course made widespread use of soldiers from Siberia, due to their winter fighting skills and the massive casualties and captures the Russians endured at first. You know that Monte Cassino in Italy was eventually captured by the Polish brigade, the first flag over the citadel was the Polish flag. Some French towns were fittingly liberated by French soldiers, including Paris. Units from Spain and France, and alot of other countries, were instrumental in the North African fighting. I know this is besides the point, but all these nationalities that had a very important part in the war throughout never get recognised either. More on the point, i know that America widely used Puerto Rican soldiers in the Korean War, because there was such a manpower shortage.
You're forgetting the Sherpas, Hero. Oh, and Italian-Americans made up the largest percentage of soldiers in the United States army. Well, at least according to Tony Soprano.
Yeah, my dad has served with Gurkhas. He has a Kukri! In world war one almost every imperial power used colonial troops, France, Britain, Germany. Even Chinese from Hong Kong were used by the British as labourers.
