Divisions: A New History of Racism and Resistance in America's World War II Military

The book "Divisions" challenges the narrative that America's World War II military was a force of unalloyed good, revealing a complex tangle of race and white supremacy that impeded the war effort and undermined the nation's rhetoric of the Four Freedoms.

Format: Hardback
Length: 528 pages
Publication date: 06 January 2022
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

The first comprehensive narrative of racism in America's World War II military and the resistance to it. America's World War II military was a force of unalloyed good. While saving the world from Nazism, it also managed to unify a famously fractious American people. At least that's the story many Americans have long told themselves. Divisions offers a decidedly different view. Prizewinning historian Thomas A. Guglielmo draws together more than a decade of extensive research to tell sweeping yet personal stories of race and the military; of high command and ordinary GIs; and of African Americans, white Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans. Guglielmo argues that the military built not one color line, but a complex tangle of them. Taken together, they represented a sprawling structure of white supremacy. Freedom struggles arose in response, democratizing portions of the wartime military and setting the stage for postwar desegregation and the subsequent civil rights movements. But the costs of the military's color lines were devastating. They impeded America's war effort; undermined the nation's rhetoric of the Four Freedoms; further naturalized the concept of race; deepened many whites' investments in white supremacy; and further fractured the American people. Offering a dramatic narrative of America's World War II military and of the postwar world it helped to fashion. Guglielmo fundamentally reshapes our understanding of the war and of mid-twentieth-century America.

Introduction:
America's World War II military was a remarkable force, not only in its successful campaign against **** Germany but also in its ability to unite a nation divided by racial tensions. The military was seen as a symbol of national unity and a force for good, and it played a crucial role in shaping the postwar world. However, a new book by historian Thomas A. Guglielmo challenges this narrative, revealing a complex and often painful history of racism in the military.

The Myth of Racial Unity:
For many Americans, the military was a unifying force that brought people of different races together in a common cause. This narrative was reinforced by the media, government officials, and even some military leaders who emphasized the importance of diversity and equality. However, Guglielmo argues that this perception of racial unity was largely a myth.

The Complexity of Racism:
Guglielmo's book explores the various forms of racism that existed within the military during World War II. He highlights the experiences of African Americans, white Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans, who faced discrimination and segregation in the military. The book also examines the high command's attitudes toward racism, which ranged from indifference to active support.

Freedom Struggles:
In response to the racism they faced, African Americans, white Americans, and other marginalized groups within the military began to organize and fight for their rights. This led to the formation of civil rights organizations and the eventual desegregation of the military after the war.

The Costs of Racism:
However, the legacy of racism in the military was far-reaching. It impeded America's war effort, undermined the nation's rhetoric of freedom and equality, and deepened the divide between white and black Americans. The military's color lines also contributed to the naturalization of race and the perpetuation of white supremacy.

Conclusion:
Guglielmo's book offers a powerful and nuanced perspective on the history of racism in America's World War II military. It challenges the myth of racial unity and reveals the complex and often painful reality of racism in the military. The book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the history of race and the military in America.

Weight: 924g
Dimension: 166 x 244 x 42 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780195342659