African-American History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

African-American History - Essay Example In case they went for war both white and black soldiers fought side by side at times for the sovereignty of the United States2. Post-war period therefore brought with it huge and significant changes that are worth researching and elaboration. USA for centuries now has been dragging a huge burden of racial criticism and such periods in history as WWII have come to make the racism aspect more pronounced. This paper will look into the history of African Americans during and after the World War II while shedding light on the ideological shifts regarding racial segregation after the war together with white racial perspectives. Historians and researchers alike have come to offer their sentiments regarding World War II in a rather convergent manner. They have stated in a collective approach that this war was tyrannical and at the same time representing liberty. This war is analysed to have been between fascism and totalitarianism on one side and democracy on the other on a rather simple scale but its complexity in respect to American perspective was interesting. On one hand United States fought the Germans and Japanese because of their evil despots related to their lack of recognition for equality and freedom. This is where the complexity and irony creep in as far as United States is concerned. Right in their battle fields and within the armed forces, African Americans were hugely segregated in favour of white soldiers. The freedom and equality being fought for was being given by one hand and taken with the other by the United States from the African Americans. The reality that dawned on the African America ns was that they were in battle fighting two fronts at the same time; Jim Crow laws on one side (internally) and Axis powers on the other (externally)3. Racism and segregation were what the African Americans faced from their countrymen. For the black soldiers at war different living conditions which were obviously lower than those of the rest were in the offing.