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2 A Changing Military Structure Dominants ca n incorporat e token s an d stil l preserv e their generalizations by inducting tokens into stereotypical role s tha t preserv e familia r form s o f interactio n between th e kind s o f peopl e represente d b y th e toke n and the dominants . —Rosabeth Kanter , Men and Women of the Corporation As society changes, so does the military, albeit often a t a differen t rate. Change s i n socia l relation s tha t bega n durin g Worl d Wa r I I resulted i n par t fro m a n advance d industria l econom y a s well a s from th e war itself . The transitio n fro m a n agraria n t o a n indus trial society was accelerated becaus e of the need for mor e expedient war production. This war was more mechanized than previous wars, an d America n factorie s wer e able to produce wa r good s a t unprecedented speed : automobil e factorie s manufacture d tanks ; typewriter factorie s manufacture d machin e guns. With massiv e numbers o f white men deploye d abroa d t o fight, millions o f America n wome n lef t thei r home s t o wor k i n th e factories. Member s o f racia l an d ethni c minoritie s wh o ha d bee n previously passe d ove r fo r job s wer e abl e t o find wor k i n wa r production. People migrated to cities en masse in search of jobs in the burgeoning industrial centers . Much o f the black migration t o cities was also spurred by new technology in southern agriculture : the planting an d harvestin g o f crops , formerly th e work o f blac k 24 A Changing Military Structure 25 sharecroppers, no w wer e performe d b y suc h far m machine s a s tractors an d cotto n pickers. 1 World Wa r I I marke d th e beginnin g o f a comple x er a define d by wholesale change s i n th e social , political , an d economi c role s of th e American populace . Entir e ne w socia l classe s compose d o f industrial worker s an d technician s emerged . American s bega n t o view the world and themselves in a new way, which led to unprecedented cultura l an d lega l changes. As a whole, American societ y was gradually forced t o become more tolerant of social change, as indicated b y th e gain s mad e b y women , Africa n Americans , an d other historicall y oppresse d segment s o f th e population . Socia l change, however, i s always me t wit h resistance , a s demonstrate d by the numerou s rac e riots 2 o f th e tim e an d (fo r th e purposes o f this book ) b y th e slanderou s rumor s tha t wome n i n th e militar y were all prostitutes and lesbians. Many of these rumors originate d with white male soldiers. Technology exerte d a stron g influenc e o n th e militar y occupa tional structure. Because of the emphasis on technological innova tion , this structure ha d shifte d it s emphasis fro m comba t arm s t o greater administrative and technical support. Especially noticeabl e during th e wa r wa s a growin g similarit y betwee n th e skill s re quired i n military unit s an d thos e used in the civilian workplace. 3 As a result of modern technology , the military could employ larg e numbers of women an d minorities to work in clerical and suppor t jobs withou t changin g it s stratifie d structure ; whit e me n woul d remain a t the top of the hierarchy. Neither wome n no r minoritie s were part o f th e elit e group o f leader s wh o mad e u p th e militar y establishment a t tha t time . Ther e wer e essentiall y tw o type s o f leaders durin g th...

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