ABSTRACT
In the American popular imagination, World War II was a moment of national unity when the United States came together to fight the obvious evil of fascism. Among others, the historian Stephen Ambrose and the journalist Tom Brokaw have told well this popular American story. And to be sure, there is some truth to it. After Pearl Harbor, American men and women overwhelmingly supported the war overseas. Thousands rushed to join the military, and millions made sacrifices to support the war effort. But the tale of national unity and sacrifice is only part of the story. Equally telling are the conflicts that buffeted American society during the war. Obvious examples include the internment of Japanese Americans, the African-American Double V campaign for victory over fascism abroad and Jim Crow racism at home, and the demands of women and black workers for equal pay and fair treatment in the workplace. These conflicts demonstrated that while there may have been unanimity on the question of fascism abroad, there were still deep divisions in many realms of American life.
