he said or his orders were not
being obeyed. We should like to point out that General Bradley's
reported observation ... was decidedly wide of the mark.
Segregation is the legal pattern of only a few of our most
backward states.... In view of the trends in law and social
practice, it is high time that the Defense forces were not used
as brakes on progress toward genuine democracy.[13-12]

[Footnote 13-12: Ltr, A. A. Heist, Dir, American Civil
Liberties Union, South California Branch, to
Forrestal, 7 Sep 48, D54-1-4, SecDef files.]

General Bradley apologized to the President for any confusion caused
by his statement, and Truman publicly sloughed off the affair, but not
before he stated to the press that his order specifically directed the
integration of the armed forces.[13-13] It was obvious that the situation
had developed into a standoff. Some of the President's most (p. 318)
outspoken supporters would not let him forget his integration order,
and the Army, as represented by its Chief of Staff, failed to realize
that events were rapidly moving beyond the point where segregation
could be considered a workable policy for an agency of the United
States government.

[Footnote 13-13: Ltrs, Bradley to President Truman, 30
Jul 48, and Truman to Bradley, 4 Aug 48, CSUSA
291.2 (4 Aug 48). See also Ltr, SA to President, 29
Jul 48, OSA 291.2 (Negroes) (7-29-48).]

_The Army: Segregation on the Defensive_

The President's order heralded a series of attacks on the Army's race
policy. As further evidence of the powerful pressures for change,
several state governors now challenged segregation in the National
Guard. Generally the race policy of the reserve components echoed that
of the Regular Army, in part because it seemed logical that state
units, subject to federal service, conform to federal standards of
performance and organization. Accordingly, in the wake of the
publication of the Gillem Board Report, the Army's Director of
Personnel and Administration recommended to the Committee on National
Guard Policy[13-14] that it amend its regulation on the employment of
black troops to conform more closely with the new policy.
Specifically, General Paul asked the committee to spell out the
prohibition against integration of white and black troops below
battal