," ▁the ▁A VC ▁supported ▁a ▁range ▁of ▁liberal ▁causes . ▁ ▁Most ▁not ably , ▁the ▁organization ▁challeng ed ▁seg reg ation ist ▁policy ▁and ▁maintained ▁ra cially ▁integrated ▁chap ters ▁in ▁Southern ▁states ▁before ▁the ▁era ▁of ▁civil ▁rights . ▁It ▁also ▁played ▁an ▁integral ▁role ▁in ▁establish ing ▁the ▁World ▁V eter ans ▁Federation ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 0 , ▁which ▁still ▁advoc ates ▁the ▁building ▁of ▁peace ▁among ▁former ▁advers aries . ▁While ▁other ▁veter ans ' ▁organizations ▁lo bb ied ▁for ▁financial ▁" bon uses " ▁for ▁returning ▁veter ans , ▁the ▁A VC ▁opposed ▁such ▁bon uses , ▁supporting ▁instead ▁housing ▁and ▁education ▁programs ▁for ▁veter ans .< ref > Ro bert ▁Francis ▁Sax e ▁( 2 0 0 7 ), ▁S ett ling ▁down : ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁veter ans ' ▁challenge ▁to ▁the ▁post war ▁cons ensus , ▁p . ▁ 1 5 2 .</ ref > ▁Un like ▁other ▁veter ans ' ▁groups , ▁the ▁A VC ▁offered ▁full ▁membership ▁to ▁women ▁and ▁people ▁of ▁color . ▁ ▁During ▁its ▁early ▁years , ▁A VC ▁grew ▁at ▁exponential ▁rates : ▁ 5 , 5 0 0 ▁members ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁ 1 8 , 0 0 0 ▁members ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁and ▁ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁members ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 . ▁ ▁However , ▁there ▁was ▁a ▁dr astic ▁drop ▁in ▁membership ▁after ▁the ▁organization ▁became ▁em bro