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US Army handbooks in WWII English society

• Message 1.Β 

  Posted by Herewordless (U14549396) on Sunday, 28th November 2010

  I remember reading through a copy of one of these in Waterstones bookshop a few years ago, and was amused and surprised by what I read.
  
  It mentioned a great deal of social 'How to's' and 'What not to's' for the newly-arrived US servicemen into the UK/England, amongst which was a polite reminder to US service personnel of 'Irish-Scottish-American' background, not to antagonise the English about historical grievances!
  
  Paraphrasing (poorly), it went along the lines of the English being polite and reserved, but not to be decieved by this, as they (us) had already formed a huge Empire and fought Hitler for 2yrs already, so are capable of plenty of 'bite' when provoked!!
  
  Has anyone else memories/knowledge of these manuals?

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by raundsgirl (U2992430) on Sunday, 28th November 2010

  I believe they were also told not to accept invitations to meals because their hosts were strictly rationed, (although I suspect that those taking food would be welcome).
  There were also warnings about using American colloquialisms which might be open to misunderstanding, e.g. " I look like a real bum" (tramp) and commenting on the English way of spelling.

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• Message 3

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  Posted by Herewordless (U14549396) on Sunday, 28th November 2010

  Thanks HolyGrandmother, I could only remember snippets.
  
  It seems that much of the manual was forgotten or ignored, as between 1942-5 there were several fatal fights up and down the land between the 'Yanks' and 'Limeys'! Some involving arms- though that could well have been between white & black GI's?

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• Message 4

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  Posted by raundsgirl (U2992430) on Monday, 29th November 2010

  Yes, I've heard reports about pitched battles with firearms between black GIs and white ones from the Southern states. Think they found it incomprehensible that the British (and the Northern US soldiers) did not share their bigotry

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• Message 5

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  Posted by MB (U177470) on Tuesday, 30th November 2010

  Some places (Leicester?) had one night for white GIs then a night for black GIs so they would not be in the town at the same time.
  
  I read one book some years ago that came close to saying that the treatment of the black GIs in Britain might have helped start the civil rights movement because the majority of the population just treated them like any other soldier and they were not used to that back in the US.
  
  One case was described in the book where a black army Sergeant was accused of rape by a local women, he was sentenced to death after a very quick trial without any proper defence. There was a big local campaign because they suspected the circumstances and did not agree with the sentence. It was raised in Parliament. The sentence was commuted but I think he still got a long prison sentence. The women was a part time prostitute and it was thought that either there was an argument about payment or her husband found her with him.

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• Message 6

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by MB (U177470) on Tuesday, 30th November 2010

  You can download one of the books here
  
  
  
  Indoctrination of personnel arriving in the UK.
  Headquarters. Service of Supply. European Theater of Operations
  This book is to be used in familiarizing all soldiers with policies, rules and restrictions in effect for the American forces in the UK. It focuses on: lack of color-line in the UK, security, furloughs,...
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

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• Message 7

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  Posted by Herewordless (U14549396) on Wednesday, 1st December 2010

  Thanks MB.
  
  I watched a documentary similar to the example you mentioned above, whereby the frustrated wife of an RAF officer, then away serving in Europe, began an affair with a black GI.
  
  When the guy returned to the cuckoldry shame, especially with racial mixing raising local eyebrows, it ended up with the GI getting a death sentence for 'rape', which the wife had been coerced into reporting.

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