1997 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003QAQ95Q?ie=UTF8&tag=doc06-20&link... Watch the full film: http://thefilmarchived.blogspot.com/2010/10/african-americans-in-world-war-ii...
The U.S. armed forces remained segregated during World War I. Still, many African Americans eagerly volunteered to join the Allied cause following America's entry into the war. More than two million African American men rushed to register for the draft. By the time of the armistice with Germany in November 1918, over 350,000 African Americans had served with the American Expeditionary Force in on the Western Front.
Most African American units were relegated to support roles and did not see combat. Still, African Americans played a minor role in America's war effort.
Four African American regiments were integrated into French units because the French suffered heavy losses and badly needed men after three years of a terrible war.
One of the most distinguished units was the 369th Infantry Regiment, known as the "Harlem Hellfighters", which was on the front lines for six months, longer than any other American unit in the war. 171 members of the 369th were awarded the Legion of Merit.
157th I.D.Red Hand flag drawn by General Mariano Goybet
The 371st and 372nd African American Regiments were integrated under the 157th Red Hand Division commanded by the French General Mariano Goybet. They earned glory in the decisive final offensive in Champagne region of France. The two Regiments were decorated by the French Croix de Guerre for their gallantry in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.
Corporal Freddie Stowers of the 371st Infantry Regiment was posthumously awarded a Medal of honor—the only African American to be so honored for actions in World War I. During action in France, Stowers had led an assault on German trenches, continuing to lead and encourage his men even after being wounded twice. Stowers died from his wounds, but his men continued the fight on a German machine gun nest near Bussy farm in Champagne, and eventually defeated the German troops.
Stowers was recommended for the Medal of Honor shortly after his death, but according to the Army, the nomination was misplaced. Many believed the recommendation had been intentionally ignored due to institutional racism in the Armed Forces. In 1990, under pressure from Congress, the Defense Department launched an investigation. Based on findings from this investigation, the Army Decorations Board approved the award of the Medal of Honor to Stowers. On April 24, 1991--73 years after he was killed in action—Stowers' two surviving sisters received the Medal of Honor from President George H.W. Bush at the White House.
Many soldiers of color served their country with distinction during World War II.
Famous segregated units, such as the Tuskegee Airmen and the U.S. 761st Tank Battalion proved their value in combat. Approximately 75 percent of the soldiers who served in the European theater as truckers for the Red Ball Express and kept Allied supply lines open were African American. A total of 708 African Americans were killed in combat during World War II.
The distinguished service of these units was a factor in President Harry S. Truman's order to desegregate all US Armed Forces in July 1948, with the promulgation of Executive Order 9981. Their wartime service also helped open jobs for black women in the field of nursing.
General John Malchase David Shalikashvili (born June 27, 1936) is a retired officer of the United States Army who served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1993 to 1997. He was born in Warsaw, Poland to Georgian refugee parents.
General Shalikashvili is the only foreign-born to reach the rank of four-star General in the U.S. Army. He served in every level of unit command from platoon to division.
General Benjamin Oliver Davis, Jr. (December 18, 1912 -- July 4, 2002) was a United States Air Force general and commander of the World War II Tuskegee Airmen.
Davis was the first African-American general in the United States Air Force. During World War II, Davis was commander of the 332nd Fighter Group, which escorted bombers on air combat missions over Europe. Davis himself flew sixty missions in P-39, Curtiss P-40, P-47 and P-51 Mustang fighters.
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African Americans in World War II: A Legacy of Patriotism and Valor - Part 4 (1997)by thefilmarchive5,756 views
@thefilmarchive please disable the comments. People are ruining these great videos.
TailGunner9187 11 hours ago
@53Africa Yaaaa yaaaaaa - like the US liberal establishment, the french government gets off on kissing the asses of blacks. That unit was in some combat in WWI, but not in WWII, which they spent in Hawaii scouting white pussy (surprise, surprise). Their record, and that of white men who fought in the wars is what it is: whole generations of white men died defending this country, while a miniscule number of blacks did.
Slick2614 1 week ago
@Slick2614?As French government honored a Harlem School at a Black History Month event, it also paid homage to the ``Harlem Hell fighters of the 369 Regiment based on 145th St in New York,`` Black soldiers who fought alongside the French in World War I. Source:Daily Challenge:Friday, February 10,2012.French Consul General Philippe Lalliot praised the school as model of successful solidarity and of social promotion.Laliot said 369th.who fought on our side WWI, we French,owe them & never forget!
53Africa 1 week ago
@53Africa The 369th regiment consisted of at most a few thousand men, probably much less. This compares to 1,500,000 US troops in WWI, the vast majority white. The 369th was in europe about a year, spending half that time doing labor or in non-combat areas. They saw no action in WWII - they spent the war in Hawaii as a coastal artillery unit, and were sent to Okinawa >>AFTER<< the war, AFTER it had been taken by white troops. Like the tuskeegee airmen, the 369th is greatly over-hyped.
Slick2614 1 week ago
@youbetterbelievehah?Axis Powers (World War II), the coalition headed by Germany, Italy, and Japan that opposed the Allied Powers in World War II. We defeated them all with Tuskegee Airman,Senegalese Battalion.Under the leadership of the British Middle East Command,British allied forces involved consisted not only of regular British troops,but also many recruits from British Commonwealth nations (Sudan British Somaliland & East Africa,South Africa, Zambia,Zimbabwe,Malawi,British West Africa.
53Africa 1 week ago
@53Africa
Man, what a dunce you are. So I suppose in your inane Afrocentric, factually baseless history books, black people defeated the Axis powers entirely on their own? What a fool...
youbetterbelievehah 1 week ago
@Slick2614?The 369th Infantry Regiment, formerly the 15th New York National Guard Regiment, was an infantry regiment of the United States Army that saw action in World War I and World War II. The 369th Infantry is known for being the first African-American regiment to serve with the American Expeditionary Force during World War I.The regiment was nicknamed the Harlem Hellfighters and the Black Rattlers. Ask any real historian will tell u that Africans fought from Marseille 2 Paris facing Hitler!
53Africa 1 week ago
France was liberated by the anglo-american armies who landed at Normandy, and the british and american air forces. Some free french forces played a very minor role. Almost no american blacks were involved in combat.
Slick2614 1 week ago
@youbetterbelievehah? I dont blame u,France historians skip our Black historyThe first Senegalese Tirailleurs were formed in 1857 and served France in a number of wars, including World War I (providing around 200,000 troops, more than 135,000 of whom fought in Europe and 30,000 of whom were killed and World War II.Other tirailleur regiments were raised in French North Africa from the Arab and Berber populations of Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco, they were called Tirailleurs algériens or Turcos.
53Africa 1 week ago
Man, reading these comments below really does make you hate black people. That's for sure...
youbetterbelievehah 1 week ago