WW2 Brits accomodated American Racism


British War Cabinet in conflict over how to deal with institutionalized racism in the US military during World War 2.


Sir Norman Brook’s notes give an incredible insight into how the British troops would deal with the US armed forces’ policy of segregation during the second world war.

At the time hundreds of thousands of black troops – most from colonial outposts – were treated equally in the British Army, but white US soldiers ate and slept separately from their black comrades.
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In October 1942, Churchill told the Cabinet that the views of the US “must be considered”.
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The Home Secretary Herbert Morrison insisted: “What I won’t have is B[ritish] police enforcing their rules for them.”

Predictably, American media Talking Heads have reacted to the release of the British War Cabinet notes — by avoiding the topic of racist practices by the US military. As if they didn’t exist. Codified racism in the American military continued until the early 1950’s.

Posted: Mon - January 2, 2006 at 11:15 AM