The Army as a Profession of Choice for Black Americans in World War II: Assessing the Impact on Future Force Structure

Abstract

This study shows how prevalent institutional attitudes between the world wars influenced the Army's use of black soldiers during World War II. Using survey, reports of black veterans and other evidence, it demonstrates that racist policies adversely influenced morale and performance of black units, even though many black soldiers and some black units performed gallantly and effectively. It concludes with lessons learned from this era, focusing largely on the role of strategic leaders in shaping their organization's cultures.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 01, 2001
Accession Number
ADA391128

Entities

People

  • Johnnie J. Atkins Jr

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • African Americans
  • Army Personnel
  • Artillery
  • Civil Rights
  • Employment
  • Fish
  • Governments
  • Military Personnel
  • Military Science
  • Military Training
  • Personnel Management
  • Prejudice
  • Second World War
  • Students
  • United States
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.
  • Organizational Psychology.