🇺🇸 REMEMBERING THE FALLEN: A MEMORIAL DAY LOOK AT CLASS DISPARITIES IN AMERICAN WARS

As we remember our fallen heroes this Memorial Day, we reflect on the historical pattern of class disparities among American soldiers. From the Revolutionary War to modern conflicts, the burden of war has disproportionately fallen on poor whites and minorities. It’s time to question systems that perpetuate this inequality and advocate for a world beyond war.


Flags of valor draped in remembrance. Honoring those who served, especially the underserved who bore the weight of war.

Honoring the Brave. Exposing the Burden.

Today, we pay tribute to the men and women who gave their lives in service to this nation. Their courage and sacrifice are immortal, woven into the very fabric of American identity. However, while we honor them, we must also examine a sobering truth: throughout American history, the burden of war has fallen unequally across class and racial lines.

A Chronological Glimpse at Class Disparities in U.S. Wars

Revolutionary War (1775–1783)

Composition of soldiers: Poor white farmers, indentured servants, and landless men made up over 70% of the Continental Army. Black soldiers (enslaved and free): Roughly 5,000, often promised freedom in exchange for service.

Civil War (1861–1865)

Union Army: Nearly 90% were poor working-class whites and immigrants. Black soldiers made up 10% after the Emancipation Proclamation. Confederate side: Wealthier Southerners were exempt if they owned more than 20 slaves, leaving the poor to fight.

World War I (1917–1918)

Selective Service Act: Targeted lower-income men; 72% of draftees were from the poorest classes. African American participation: Over 370,000, mostly in segregated units doing manual labor.

World War II (1941–1945)

Working-class conscription: Nearly 88% of enlisted men came from blue-collar families. Minorities: 1 million African Americans, 25,000 Native Americans, and 300,000 Latinos served, often in non-combat or segregated roles.

Korean War (1950–1953)

Poor whites and minorities: Constituted the majority of ground troops. Desegregation Order (1948): Not fully implemented until after the war started.

Vietnam War (1955–1975)

Draft inequities: College deferments protected the affluent. 80% of U.S. combat soldiers were from working-class backgrounds. Black troops: Accounted for 11% of total troops but made up over 20% of combat deaths in early years.

Persian Gulf War (1990–1991)

Enlisted demographics: Disproportionate representation from rural and economically disadvantaged communities.

Iran-Iraq War U.S. Involvement (1980s–1990s)

While not officially a combatant, U.S. involvement through military aid and intelligence benefited from a standing force that continued to be disproportionately staffed by working-class and minority soldiers.

The True Cost: Who Pays the Price of War?

Over centuries, the same pattern emerges: wars fought largely by the poor, orchestrated by the powerful. While valor knows no class, the socioeconomic backgrounds of American soldiers reveal an uncomfortable truth—those with the fewest options are often those asked to sacrifice the most.

These systemic inequities challenge the way we frame patriotism and honor. Memorial Day should not only remember the fallen but compel us to question why certain Americans are more likely to fall in the first place.

A Position Statement for the Future

We believe that any responsible government, religion, or private endeavor should advocate for no war—ever. If an institution cannot uphold peace as its primary mission, it should be removed from public influence and debate.

Peace is not just a noble pursuit—it is a necessary correction to centuries of systemic exploitation disguised as patriotism. We can best honor the fallen by ensuring fewer fall in the future.

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