BS: US Forces +Race Riots in Wartime Britain

Subject: BS: US Forces +Race Riots in Wartime Britain
From: rich-joy
Date: 14 Mar 21 - 09:34 AM

MUTINY IN THE DUCHY : British-American WWII history

With the apparent increase of overt racism in the West, particularly online and in the US, I thought this recently published book was of particular interest. And, as I had never heard of the historical occurrences being written about, I wondered if many other Catters were aware of them?? Of course, my being from Down Under may have something to do with my complete ignorance of this history!!    The book recently appeared in my local library in Oz and I found it a fascinating glimpse into an aspect of history perhaps no longer in common knowledge??

I refer to :
“An American Uprising in Second World War England (Mutiny in the Duchy)” –
by Kate Werran, Pen & Sword Books Ltd, UK-USA, 2020

It details the social upheaval resulting from the almost 2 million Americans stationed around England and beyond, initially to await the D-Day Landings. The strict Colour Bar that was in place in the US Military and the “Jim Crow” discrimination that ruled US society, was also imported into England with those troops, in 1942.

Despite racial problems in Britain both before and after the war, it appears that in general, British society at that time did not approve of this apartheid behaviour being enforced in the UK and it being forced upon UK society by the “White Yanks”. Support for “the underdog” was very strong and there was a general feeling of preference for “Black Yanks”, the coloured troops, who were jovial, friendly, fun, helpful, presented well, and sang beautifully in church – and had much better-manners than the white soldiers, who were perceived as braggarts, cocky, arrogant, condescending, even slovenly - and entitled!

White American troops were reported as having a low opinion of British women, particularly when they did not shun black partners at the community dances and dared to stand up for the black soldiers against the white soldiers in the pubs! Skirmishes between US troops were common and eventually, serious trouble broke out, particularly in Lancshire, Cornwall, and Bristol city. The British War Cabinet was forced to agree to American demands that the handling of any illegal behaviour involving American personnel was to be handled by American military courts set up within Britain [Visiting Forces Act]. This caused alarm that it would result in poorer, less fair outcomes for any coloured, (or British), persons involved – esp as America was(is?) overly fond of the death penalty for many crimes. The British Press were also banned from reporting on any of this.

Although, George Orwell managed to observe in print :   “[it was] difficult to go anywhere in London without having the feeling that Britain is now Occupied Territory” …… “The general consensus of opinion, seems to be that the only American soldiers with decent manners are the Negroes.”

I found online the following article pertaining to the book, and also a YT clip of the author reading the first chapter and discussing some of the history she uncovered whilst researching for the book.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/aug/05/an-american-uprising-in-second-world-war-england-by-kate-werran-review

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOpm1-Gr9Ok

Obviously my attempt above at a brief summary of rather a big topic (there’s a lot more in the book), could well be flawed, but as racism is still rampant in our world, I’d be interested to hear from Catters about these times - and also, to know if this history was well-known in the UK before the publication of this book last year??


Cheers, R-J

PS        This site is sadly related, too : Targeting Black Veterans : Lynching in America : https://eji.org/reports/targeting-black-veterans/

             Extraordinary as it seems, it was not at all uncommon for black Returned Soldiers to be lynched in their uniforms ….

Subject: RE: BS: US Forces +Race Riots in Wartime Britain
From: Acorn4
Date: 15 Mar 21 - 05:35 AM

This certainly happened in Leicester to a degree - in Vincent Hokyoak's book "But For These Things" he describes the culture clash in detail including a violent incident in The Three Cranes pub.

It didn't help the fact that the American GI private was paid three times the rate of a British private.

Many of the personnel in Leicester were airforce which meant a high probability of being killed which may partially account for the loose sexual behaviour ( like British soldiers in France in WW1) - prostitutes would come up from London by train and congregate around the Clock Tower.

It would seem that the black troops were not combat troops but acted in a support role.

Leicester had often been at the forefront of equal rights issues including local campaigns against slavery and, in general, the public resented US imposition of its practices on British soil.

Subject: RE: BS: US Forces +Race Riots in Wartime Britain
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 15 Mar 21 - 06:32 AM

To give the thread a bit of a musical flavour this article from the Warrington Museum and Art Gallery details the involvement of 'Nat' Bookbiner - Uncle of Elkie Brookes - in bringing the US 'colour bar' to the attention of the British government.

Subject: RE: BS: US Forces +Race Riots in Wartime Britain
From: rich-joy
Date: 15 Mar 21 - 09:23 PM

Wow, that's a rather sad report, Dave, but very pertinent - Thanks for posting!!

Thanks too, Acorn4, and yes, even though Lancashire (Bamber Bridge), Cornwall (Launceston), and Bristol were the 'main' riots, Kate Werren's book points out that there were many many more incidents!

Also that the coloured troops wished to enact a more combative role against Hitler, but the USA's Jim Crow attitudes denied them this opportunity, wishing to keep them 'in their place' and alleging that blacks just weren't capable, mentally or emotionally, of any other roles......

Towards the end of the war, once the US situation began to change, this attitude was of course, proven yet again to be complete garbage.

R-J

Subject: RE: BS: US Forces +Race Riots in Wartime Britain
From: Jack Campin
Date: 16 Mar 21 - 08:08 PM

I knew about it in general terms but couldn't have given any detail of specific incidents. I don't think enough Americans were stationed in Scotland to inflict that shit on us.

Subject: RE: BS: US Forces +Race Riots in Wartime Britain
From: rich-joy
Date: 17 Mar 21 - 12:43 AM

Well, apparently the US troop situation was not much better in Australia!!

Just came across this 6-part YouTube doco called : "Black US Soldiers in Australia" (here is Ep 1) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UPdu0ufDu8

They talk of "The Battle of Brisbane" and murder by MPs in Townsville, so I'll have to look into that next......

R-J

Subject: RE: BS: US Forces +Race Riots in Wartime Britain
From: JennieG
Date: 17 Mar 21 - 04:35 PM

I have heard of "The Battle of Brisbane" - it was quite something, I believe.

An expression used in Oz (probably used in other countries too) when describing American soldiers was "overpaid, oversexed and over here".

One episode of 'Foyle's War' dealt with the issue of a black American soldier and a local woman.

Subject: RE: BS: US Forces +Race Riots in Wartime Britain
From: Rapparee
Date: 19 Mar 21 - 09:38 PM

Port Chicago, California, July 17, 1944 and its aftermath.