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Overview"This is the first detailed account of the 5,000 black troops who were reluctantly sent north by the United States Army during World War II to help build the Alaska Highway and install the companion Canol pipeline. Theirs were the first black regiments deployed outside the lower 48 states during the war. The enlisted men, most of them from the South, faced racial discrimination from white officers, were barred from entering any towns for fear they would procreate a ""mongrel"" race with local women, and endured winter conditions they had never experienced before. Despite this, they won praise for their dedication and their work. Congress in 2005 said that the wartime service of the four regiments covered here contributed to the eventual desegregation of the Armed Forces." Full Product DetailsAuthor: John VirtuePublisher: McFarland & Co Inc Imprint: McFarland & Co Inc Dimensions: Width: 17.80cm , Height: 1.20cm , Length: 25.40cm Weight: 0.404kg ISBN: 9780786471171ISBN 10: 0786471174 Pages: 228 Publication Date: 11 December 2012 Recommended Age: From 18 years Audience: General/trade , General Format: Paperback Publisher's Status: Active Availability: In stock  We have confirmation that this item is in stock with the supplier. It will be ordered in for you and dispatched immediately. Table of ContentsTable of Contents Foreword by Monte Irvin Preface Introduction 1—Pondering a Pathway to Alaska 2—Highway and Pipeline Approved 3—The Second Emancipation Order 4—Blacks Rush to Enlist 5—Black Soldiers Voice Their Complaints 6—Army Reluctantly Assigns Black Regiments 7—Heading North 8—Japanese Attack Justifies the Alcan Highway 9—The 93rd and the 95th Start Off with Picks and Shovels 10—The 97th Completes the Highway 11—The 388th Does the Heavy Lifting 12—An Unexpectedly Severe Winter 13—Surviving Isolation 14—The Highway Is Praised, the Pipeline Criticized 15—Identifying Problems 16—News Coverage of Black Troops Suppressed Epilogue Chapter Notes Bibliography IndexReviewsthis book brings out much of the forgotten details that were sadly neglected in earlier histories of these important projects. This book, replete with photographs and stories of the black troops at work and at rest, is well worth reading --<i>Alaska History</i>; John Virtue has done a marvelous job of recounting the hard work and heroism of African-American patriots in Alaska and Northern Canada during World War II. <i>The Black Soldiers Who Built the Alaska Highway</i> is both well written and expertly researched. Highly recommended! --Douglas Brinkley, Rice University; An epic story of adventure and struggle in the Far North --John Balzar, author <i>Yukon Alone</i>. Author InformationThe late John Virtue was director of the International Media Center at Florida International University in Miami, Florida. He lived in Miami Beach. Tab Content 6Author Website:Countries AvailableAll regions |
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