What immigrants were living in Britain in 1945?
- Created by: mel.maharjan
- Created on: 08-05-14 21:14
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- What immigrants were living in Britain in 1945?
- American GIs
- Arriving from 1942 onwards.
- Around 3 million posted over UK (often rural areas).
- Very open, friendly, got on well with locals.
- British society divided in classes.
- Classes didn't mix.
- America less class-concious.
- American GIs brought these qualities to UK.
- Very popular with girls.
- Got paid well - take girls to best clubs and restaurants.
- 80,000 British women 'GI brides' and emigrated to America.
- Caused some tensions.
- Cultural differences.
- British gov. issued films and pamphlets to educate GIs about Britain.
- African American GIs
- Large minority GIs black.
- 130,000 African Americans service men/women came to Britain.
- Americans very racist.
- African American faced harsh discrimination in America.
- Segregation.
- African American treated well in very rural areas of Britain.
- Locals criticised white Americans for way they treated black GIs.
- Walter White (NAACP) found for many African Americans, time in England was first where they were treated as normal human beings.
- Also found out segregation starting in Britain.
- Commonwealth troops
- Before arrival of GIs.
- Large nos. from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, Caribbean.
- Usually warmly welcomed.
- Over 40,000 marriages between Canadian servicemen and British women.
- Prisoners of War
- Largest groups of POWs were German and Italien troops captured in N. Africa.
- Over 1,500 facilities held prisoners
- Highest POW population: 157,000 Italians and 402,000 Germans.
- POWs generally treated well.
- Same food rations as Allied servicemen.
- More than ordinary civilians.
- Access to medical care.
- Paid small wages for work.
- Many worked in agriculture - replaced workers serving in armed forces.
- Access to range of educational classes.
- Same food rations as Allied servicemen.
- Poles
- Escaped to Britain due to German/USSR invasion.
- 14,000 served in RAF.
- 120,000 Poles stayed in Britain - Poland seemed dominated by USSR.
- PM Churchill interested in Poles since Britain went to war in 1939 to save Poland.
- Also agreed to USSR having Poland in its sphere of influence.
- Poles allowed to stay due to shortage of workers.
- A Polish Resettlement Corps set up to house Poles and provide training and work.
- Housing in military camps and former POWs - very basic and Poles treated as though in military service.
- American GIs
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