Overall, the major themes I have discovered in this search of information are three:
1. Latinos in the Military
A.
Ready to prove their loyalty
B.
“Second -Class Citizens-“Severed in the military, but still faced discrimination in the United States.
2. The Latinos at home
A.
Many contributed to the war with personal sacrifices
i.
Rationing
ii.
Assisting with material drives, such as rubber and glass.
3. The Braceros
A.
Working class Mexicans brought from the Mexico to fill the labor shortages in industries like agriculture, railroads, and mining.
One of the themes, I have not really expanded on is number one, Latinos in the military. I am reading a book right now, Among the Valliant, by Raul Morin. It has given me a good perspective on Latino service. I am also in the middle of another book, this one by Maggie-Rivas. Her project, the Latino Oral History Project, is made up of interviews of Latino/a WWII veterans. Many of these veterans came from all sections of the country. They served with pride and distinction. Below is a website that I found which gives you the names, pictures, and backgrounds of Latino Medal of Honor winners from all the wars. You have to scroll down to see WWII winners of the medals:
http://www.homeofheroes.com/e-books/mohE_hispanic/index.html
It is an interesting to see that minorities fought to defend this country. There is a long legacy of Latino involvement in the wars of this country. The tradition of service sometimes left these soldiers proud Americans or left them to question the reason of their service, when at home they still faced discrimination. They have been the recipients of the Service Cross, Silver Star, Purple Heart, and Bronze Star. In the coming weeks, I will do some more research on who won these medals. For now, my search goes on.
I will keep you informed on what I find…
No comments:
Post a Comment