Native Americans in World War I
April 15, 2020
Video Discussion Questions What was happening to the Native American community at the turn of the 20th century?Why did Native Americans, thousands of whom were not granted citizenship by the U.S., fight in the war?What unique role did various Native Americans take during the role? How did that impact the effort? What happens in 1924? Why?
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Native Americans in World War I
April 15, 2020
[0:00:11] Announcer: Welcome to the How World War I Changed America podcast series, sponsored by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation with host Dr. Libby O'Connell. [0:00:26] Libby O'Connell: My name is Libby O'Connell. Today our topic is Native Americans in World War I and our guest expert is Dr. Herman J Viola. He's a curator emeritus at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, and author of such a long list of books that I can't even begin to to give just one title. So we're just thrilled and honored to have you with us today, Herman. Thank you…
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American Indians’ Service in World War I, 1920
April 15, 2020
More than 11,000 American Indians served with the American forces during World War I. Nearly 5,000 Native men enlisted and approximately 6,500 were drafted—despite the fact that most American Indians were not citizens and therefore not eligible for conscription. In all, approximately 25 percent of Native men served in the military. They often volunteered to serve in dangerous roles, including snipers and scouts. Unlike African American soldiers, Native Americans were not restricted to segregated regiments.
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Native Americans in WWI
April 15, 2020
When World War I commenced, Americans of every color and creed answered the call. Among these, Native Americans served in great proportion, with an estimated 12,000 serving in the United States Army. Many Native American soldiers joined the 36th Division, where they were tasked with sending encrypted messages between Allied Forces, which the Central Powers were never able to decode. Despite the fact that many aided the U.S. war effort, not all of them were recognized as citizens and it took until 1924 to for all Native Americans to receive citizenship rights in the United States.
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