World War II
- World War II began in September of 1939. The war began because Britain and France declared war on Germany when Hitler chose to invade Poland. Originally, both Britain and France were not wanting to go to war and did not want to challenge the power of Hitler. However, both countries attempted to settle with Hitler as to not continue the violence, thus the Munich Agreement was made, stating that Germany could have the Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia as long as Hitler did not invade the rest of Czechoslovakia. However, Hitler broke the agreement when invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia in March of 1939. A few months later, in September, Hitler made the vital decision to invade Poland and it was then decided that military action was needed in order to stop Hitler’s invasions. It was not until two years later in 1941 that the United States would enter into one of the largest wars in history. The United States joined the war due to the bombing of the Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. Although Franklin D. Roosevelt knew that the entrance into the war was inevitable, it was not until the American fleet of ships was destroyed that he chose to enter. Upon entering the war, Roosevelt understood that the American people needed to prepare to fight for their country as the Allied powers (United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union) and go to war with the Axis powers (Germany, Japan, and Italy). Troops were needed both on the ground and in the air. However, Eleanor Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt’s wife proved to be an essential asset to African Americans trying to participate in the war.
Eleanor believed that if we were already fighting a war with other countries that there was no need to also fight a war on racism. Eleanor believed that if America was already fighting so hard and making so many sacrifices in the war that if equality was not accomplished throughout this, those sacrifices would prove futile. Due to Eleanor consistently advocating equal rights and an end to discrimination, African Americans were able to serve significant roles in the military, such as fighting in combat and many other roles being opened. If it had not been for Eleanor Roosevelt going and visiting the Tuskegee Airmen in Alabama, they would have taken a lot longer to fly. When she visited, Mrs. Roosevelt went up into flight with Charles “Chief” Anderson who took up her up on flight. According to history.com, “the photos and film that came out of the 40-minute flight helped convince people in power to support the creation of a black fighter group.” Had it not been for Eleanor going to the Tuskegee field and going around with the chief, it might have taken a significant amount of time longer to get the Tuskegee Airmen in the air.