Native American Participation in Ww2

The title of my essay is “The Participation of Native Americans in World War II.” The purpose of the essay is to deal with the issues of change and struggle of the American Indian in the nineteen thirties through nineteen forties. The essay will go into the attitudes and policies of Native Americans as well as the American public in the era just before World War II. The essay will also go into policies during the war, and how they led to a steady progression of rights given to Native Americans. These policies dealt with Americanization and the seizing of Native American resources due to the militaries need for man power and Indian land. Other policies discussed will be draft issues on reservations and how they were dealt with. Also, how the war was effecting the reservation and how the division of labor grew into a stable economy for Native Americans. Tactics of Native American soldiers as a point of interest will be discussed, as well as the Navajo and Comanche languages and how the use of them as a code, helped the United States win the war in both fronts. The essay will explain stereotyping issues and how Native Americans were treated in the different realms of propaganda and treatment within the armed forces. In solving these questions I will conclude with the post war struggles dealing with Termination as well as the effects of government and Indian relations. The essay will end with the process of Native Americans slowing gaining more rights with Termination, but addressing more problems with the end of government control. Native Americans struggled after World War II, but remained true to their culture while adding American values and traditions.

1. Bernstein, Alison R. American Indians and World War II: Toward a New Era in

Indian Affairs. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, 1991.

Bernstein contends or studies the details of the impact of the war in American Indian life and tries to determine the consequences for whites as well as for Indians.

Relates to: II #1,2,4 , III, IV #1a,#2b,d

2. Escue, Lynn. “Coded Contributions: Navajo Talkers and the Pacific War.”

History Today 41 (July 1991): 13-20.

Escue traces the history of Navajos contributions to World War II, specifically the coded language that was used in the war. Also how the contributions affected Navajo society.

Relates to: III #3

3. Franco, Jere’ Bishop. Crossing the Pond: The Native American Effort in World

War II. Denton, Texas: University of North Texas Press, 1999.

Franco contends that Native Americans participated in every aspect of World War II. Franco feels topic is important because not much is written about the history of Indians in WWII and needs to be put out there.

Relates to: II #3, IV #1b,#2c,#3c, V

4. Hauptman, Laurence M. The Iroquois Struggle for Survival: World War II to Red

Empire. Syracuse, New York: Syracuse University Press, 1986.

Hauptman follows the history of the Six Nations, and in chapters on World War II discusses Iroquois Nationalism and consequences of the war on the tribe.

Relates to: II #4, VI #2

5. Meadows, William C.