Final answer:
The correct answer is option 1. Executive Order 9981 laid the groundwork for desegregating the U.S. armed forces, setting a precedence for equality of treatment and opportunity regardless of race, color, religion, or national origin. Although not causing immediate integration, it was a crucial step forward for civil rights in the military.
Step-by-step explanation:
The immediate impact of Executive Order 9981 was not an overnight transformation, but rather it set into motion the process of desegregating the United States armed forces. Issued by President Harry S. Truman in July 1948, this landmark order called for 'equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed services without regard to race, color, religion, or national origin.' It paved the way for the eventual integration of the military, although it did not specify a timeline and the full effects would only be seen in subsequent conflicts after the issuance.
The order also facilitated the creation of a committee to monitor the enforcement of this policy, reflecting a shift in how the military would operate in the future. The Executive Order 9981 tackled head-on the systemic segregation that had been a part of the military, signaling a significant societal shift towards civil rights and equality within one of the country's most substantial institutions.