Quote:
Originally Posted by DrPhil
 Thanks for sharing, SOM. This is the first time I have read a detailed post in which you shared your own thoughts.  I appreciate it.
I agree about the history part. I posted about that in the current movies thread. I do not expect movies and especially mainstream movies to be exact. They will take liberties. If people want to learn the true history behind the Tuskegee Airmen they need to watch a documentary, read some books, etc. |
A very good point about movies and history. A rather good example that does fit this thread is Patton. The opening speech was real. It was not made clear to whom he was delivering it to.
"Contrary to the movie
Patton, it was to the black tankers of the 761st that Patton delivered his famous speech.
“Men, you are the first Negro tankers to ever fight in the American army,” he began. “I have nothing but the best in my army. I don’t care what color you are, so long as you go up there and kill the Kraut sonsofbitches. Everyone has their eyes on you, and is expecting great things of you. Most of all, your race is looking forward to your success. Don’t let them down, and, G—damn you, don’t let me down. They say it is patriotic to die for your country. Well, let’s see how many patriots we can make out of those German sonsofbitches.”
Patton was a man to be taken seriously.
“There is one thing you men will be able to say when you go home,” he concluded. ‘You may all thank God that thirty years from now when you are sitting with your grandson on your knee and he asks, ‘Grandfather, what did you do in World War II? you won’t have to say, ‘I shoveled shit in Mississippi.’”"
Unit became known as Patton's Black Panthers.
http://www.commandposts.com/2011/07/...ould-not-quit/
And as I posted, there were more segregated units, all who fought more than one good fight.
The 442nd Regimental Combat Team, made up of Nisei Soldiers, fought in the ETO while members of families where back home in "camps". As did over 5000 Nisei who worked in the PTO as translators, interpreters, interrogators and even combat infantrymen when needed.
There were also over 2500 Black Marines who fought in the PTO as well.
Several other units as well.