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Germany attacks Poland, Roosevelt expands army to 227,000 soldiers.
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Department of Agriculture transfers over 350,000 acres to the War Department
Naval Air Station was built in Jacksonville FL
Elgin Air Force Base was expanded -
Congress authorizes $150 million for housing
Cities with war industries had to find room for thousands of arriving workers. Trent cities and parks with tiny trailers were springing up. -
Air Force creates first African American unit.
99th Pursuit Squadron, trained in Tuskegee Alabama -
Roosevelt’s Executive Order 8802
Stated “there shall be no discrimination in the employment of workers in the defense industries or government because of race, creed, color, or national origin.” -
Women join the Armed Forces
Creation of Women’s Auxiliary Corps (WAAC), not part of the regular Army -
Industries and companies converted to war production
All major industries and 200,000 companies converted to war production -
National Housing Agency (NHA)
Roosevelt created the NHA to coordinate government housing programs -
Period: to
Mexican farmworkers used to help harvest crops
Federal government arranged for Mexican farmworkers to help harvest crops in the Southwest as part of the Bracero Program -
Executive Order 9066
Allowed War Department to declare any part of the United States a military zone as needed. -
WAAC changed to WAC
C0 replaces Women’s Army Corps (WAWomen’s Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) -
U.S. military bases integrated
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Sailors attack Mexican neighborhoods in Los Angelas
After rumors of zoot-suitors attacking several sailors, 2,500 soldiers and sailors attack Mexican American neighborhoods -
Racial Violence Erupts in Detroit
African American face suspicion and intolerance. Fighting between white and African American teens triggered a citywide riot that left 25 African Americans and 9 whites dead -
Korematsu v, United States
Roosevelt’s Executive Order 9066 gave the military the power rot exclude people of ?Japanese descent from areas that were deemed important to U.S. national defense -
Truman fully integrated military