Detroit Riot

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Professor
Class
9 December 2016
Detroit Riot 1943
Introduction
When the World war started in 1943, America enlisted the aid of industrial companies located in Detroit. These companies assisted the government in practically winning the war. War brings out extremes in people. This came to fruition at the worst times. The government needs people to work together in times of war. Open hostility came to the forefront in June of 1943. Racial tensions spilled over into the streets of Detroit (Wang, 1). America history buffs called it the worst race riot for that era. Many historians state this riot was the culmination of unresolved problems that were never formerly addressed. Thes next paragraphs will discussion cause and prevention.
Cause
This 1943 riot in Detroit was only twenty-fours long, and it was caused by the alleged police brutality against persons of color (Eisold, 1). The people of color moving to Detroit could not find a reasonable place to rent after obtaining jobs at a Detroit defense plants (Wang, 1). This caused racial tensions to explode in neighborhoods in Detroit. When the Detroit Mayor Edward Jeffries requested assistance from FDR, FDR sent 6,000 troops. In the end, there were twenty-five black and nine white fatalities. Seventeen blacks were killed by riot police. No whites were killed by riot police. There was an estimated two million in property damages. It all started with a fight at the Belle Isle amusement park.
Prevention
One think tank called the Heritage Foundation put forward several goals necessary to prevent race riots.

The first is to reduce the number of individuals on welfare. President LBJ (Lyndon B. Johnson) created the Kerner Commission in 1967. This commission created a 426-page document that sold over a million copies. This commission concluded that American would have two separate states, one black, and one white (Thernstrom, 1). Did this never happen? Not exactly. Topping the list is race relations. Second, realigning social policies to fit the people involved. Equality is critical serving the public.
Riots occur when people feel that police did not satisfactorily resolve incidents that involve race or discrimination. Riots can then take on a life of its own, and people in groups acquire a mob mentality (Eisold, 1). Frustration, resentment, and disappointment can be the fuel for violence. People involved in rioting lose that perspective that most called common sense. The group mentality overcomes a normal person’s reluctance to get involved. Prevention can be complicated. Those in charge must understand the problem. These situations blow out of control in a matter of moments.

Governments face a monumental task to prevent riots. They must figure out who in charge, and this can change rapidly. Recent research holds not one true suggestion is good in all situations. Prevention is almost impossible without violence. The only option is understanding what sets groups of people off in the first place. Each occasion is distinctive. As such all angles must be examined before compromises can be successful.
Conclusion
Riots happen because people are angry at the way they are treated. Racial discrimination should be taken into account equally. That does not happen regularly or consistently in all parts of the country. People of all races rebel when this situation in not in their favor. Good communication between groups is a good start. When opposite groups get together to communicate and compromise, good results can happen. The result is less violence. Each situation will always be unique and must be analyzed separately to maintain order. When police stop shooting first and asking question later, the results could be different. Less destruction and loss of life could result.
Works Cited
Eisold, Ken, Hidden Motives Understanding Why People Riot Psychology Today 2011Web
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/hidden-motives/201108/understanding-why-people-riot
Thernstrom, Stephan, Siegel, Fred and Robert Woodson, the Kerner Commission Report
Heritage Foundation, 1998 Web
http://www.heritage.org/research/lecture/the-kerner-commission-report
Wang, Tabitha C. Detroit Race Riot of 1943 University of Washington n.d. Web

Detroit Race Riot (1943)