Case Study: The Great Alaskan Highway

The creation of the Great Alaskan Highway stemmed as a reaction by the United States following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, HI. The highway was a proactive measure taken by President Franklin Roosevelt, with a purpose of creating a supply line from the continental United States to Alaska and to aid in protecting the United States from an attack by Japan. The Corps of Engineers were tasked with building the Great Alaskan Highway, ALCAN for short, a road that linked a crucial path between the continental United States and Alaska. Even though the inexperienced engineers were faced with extreme weather, forced to maneuver around mountainous terrain and tackle heavily wooded areas, an ‘Essayons’ attitude allowed the engineers to persevere and complete the road ahead of schedule.
The proposed road stretched over 1,500 miles from Fairbanks, AK to Dawson Creek, British Columba and “began about a week after President Roosevelt formally approved the Alaska Highway project and after the arrival of the initial contingent of troops at the Dawson Creek railhead on 16 March 1942. The force of engineer troops was soon built up to seven regiments, reinforced by pontoon, survey, and other units, totaling 394
This would marked the first time the segregation polices for the U.S. Military had been disregarded. Previously, African American Soldiers served in ‘black’ units commanded by a Caucasian officer. African Americans were stereotyped as “careless, shiftless, irresponsible and secretive” (Strain, 2004). Due to this, African Americans were forced to work in combat support positions and were not allowed in active combat roles. Throughout the completion of the Alaskan Highway, the African American Soldiers were able to break down some barriers and prove to their counterparts and commanding officers that they were just as capable as working hard as other