The history of the greatest military in the world has been engraved in stone from the earliest of its birth to the nearest of its future, there have been many bumps along the way especially regarding the discrimination that the military is guilty of. From those who are a different skin color to those who have issues with health, the military is known for its selectiveness when it comes to recruits regardless of its intense efforts to make the military more reflective of the society and nation it serves; we should not forget the history that the militaries have been founded on.
Everything started with the Revolutionary War, the Americans against the British. After a lack in white troop enlistment, Many African American both slave and free fought in this war for their masters under the promise of emancipation when the war was over. Though some slaves got the emancipation they wanted some did not and before long lack of conflicts and rise in concern of slave rebellion had African Americans banned from the military; this decision would hold firm even through the first year or so of the Civil War, until pressure from the war and from antislavery activists would finally push congress to pass a bill that gave Blacks the right to fight.
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Although African American regiments would be separated from regular white regiments African Americans would fight all the same through the war never being able to command a white soldier regardless of rank. At the end of the Civil War at least 186,000 African Americans had served through the war efforts, it was around this time that people started arguing that African Americans had earned a true place in the military. In 1866, overcoming all opposition, a bill was pushed through that finally would give African Americans a true equal place in the Army; the first true step to military equality.
Women during the Revolutionary War also saw discrimination being completely barred from fighting, though this did not stop the patriotic and dedicated women from disguising themselves as men or fighting unofficially alongside their husband. Other women often served as cooks, laundresses, nurses, and sewers; though these women received rations the pay came from the soldiers they worked; the amount being set up by the post commander. It wouldn’t be long before women found an eternal position in the military as nurses, then in 1948 a law was finally passed allowing women to serve in the military as soldiers.
Asian Americans through history have never been a huge part of military presence, however records show that there was Asian American participation in American wars as early as the Civil War where as many as 50 Chinese immigrant soldiers fought in the American civil war. Many Asian Americans would choose to join the military despite growing disdain and discrimination against non-European immigrants; Most of the recruitment patterns reflect that of the immigration patterns for Asian immigrants. During World War 2 many Asians partook in the first United States land battle as scout units who often fought along side American soldiers and Philippine soldiers. Later those same scout units would have the opportunity to enlist as United States soldiers and gain citizenship in America.
Hispanics or Spanish speaking people(s) in the military go back to the Revolutionary War where they would fight in small numbers for militia or U.S. Army units. During the start of the Civil War about 1,000 Hispanics joined the military on both the Unions side and Confederate side. After the Civil War Hispanic found their place in the military as during World War 2 some 200,000 Hispanic troops were mobilized to fight for the United States. During World War 2 some 500,000 Hispanics were mobilized with majority being Mexican Americans.
Today discrimination through the military is very rare due to the United States efforts to reduce discrimination. Everyone generally has a place in the military today, though certain examples of discrimination exist from individual to individual all integrated discrimination is mostly rooted out.
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