I just watched a great, short, federally sponsored video on the Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant! I have had it for a while, checked out from the library, but I just now go around to watching it after finishing some reading from another primary source from the library.
I am glad I waited to watch it, especially because both sources I have just finished (the book, and the video) are biased from opposing perspectives.
The book I have been working through, is a primary source from the secretary of the NAACP, whose primary focus is the actions taken by the white community during housing shortages caused by the tank production industry in Detroit. The focus is not a patriotic, praising of the tank industry for its role in stopping Nazi Germany, but from the perspective of an African American male, whose community here in America was being bitterly ravaged by racial animosity.
On the other hand, this video I just watched, called "Tanks & Industry: The Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant, 1940-1997" was produced under contract with the US Army. Therefor, the main focus is how "flexibility and teamwork" between the industry, labor, and military" to combine their efforts to fight off the Nazi forces. And the focus is on the fact that there was an effective work force, which there was in terms of production. There is one interviewee, a labor historian from Oakland University, named Dr. John Barnard who comments on the volatility of the community at this time. He mentions the female workforce, child care issues, the separation of families as men are at war and women are working as well as running a home. This of course, is an important aspect of the community. However, he does mention the racial aspect which is far more relevant to my study, he states that the housing shortages, which resulted in federal funds pouring wholly into the industry, left fierce competition for housing, and resulting is the "fierce racial tensions", and that this was the biggest altercation during the war at home.
Comparing these two side by side, is making me really think I need to divide these two sections of writing. One, from the militant, and industry perspective of what was happening in Detroit during tank production in WWII, the clear recognition that there was a great success in the production of defense, and that Detroit Tank Production was truly making an impact on the war.
Then compare that separately to the reality behind the hard work. Yes, America was helping to win the war, but at what cost to its own community? Who was being affected by the shortage in housing? How were racial prejudices actually affecting the work force?
Lastly, I will try to clarify the results of these issues that are happening behind the face of the Arsenal of Democracy. There is a whole different story that to this day, still is glossed over. The result was a deadly battle between white workers, and black workers. The result was striking, and militarization of the Detroit work force and community. And the notable event of course, was the Race Riot in 1943.
I still have a lot of work to do, and am feeling behind, and overwhelmed. As I stated before, a friend passed away unexpectedly this weekend, and since I have been spending a lot of time with his family, and have been grieving as well, my studies have fallen by the wayside, making the catch-up I now have to play seem very daunting.
Hope you guys are all coming along well in your drafts! See you all tomorrow in class!
It makes sense to divide your paper into these two sections. Just be sure that they still work together to create an entire narrative. You want to avoid having two separate papers because, really, the fact that America was pushing forth this type of patriotic production (which is what we tend to remember about the US during WWII)while simultaneously there's all this racial tension and divisions in the workforce, probably closely relates to each other.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I think it is important that I clarify how these connect, I think that will be good information that I am going to provide in a section on the background of Detroit prior to the war, and what changed to create the climate that existed during the wartime industry.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Micalee!
Wow! You really seem to have a grasp on everything!!
ReplyDeleteI definitely know how you feel about trying to avoid biases. I attended a journalism workshop (it's my major) and they all advised us to NOT vote in any of the elections. Crazy, huh?! That way when job hunting no one could claim you were biased against or for a certain party or issues and would be more likely to hire you. Sorry for my strange rant it just made me think of that. But the very fact that you are admitting there are biases in those medias means you are aware and are less likely to include them in your paper. Good job!
PS - I'm sorry about your loss :(
Thanks, girl! I definitely am trying to work away bit by bit on this paper, I am hoping it all turns out coherent and not a droning on of facts for 12-15 pages...eek!
ReplyDeleteBut yeah, that is really crazy that they encouraged people not to vote! It's insane to think that in a country whose principles are founded on the ability to have a democratically elected leader would suggest that participating in elections which are a protected right of citizens would be detrimental to a job search!
And it's good that as a journalism major that you have been provided a good basis for sorting out bias from facts, that (I'm sure) will help a ton in your research as well!
Good luck with the paper! :o)