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In this episode of the show we are discussing the 1968 Hellfighters starring John Wayne. Over the course of our conversation you will hear us wonder about John Wayne trying to find new avenues for himself in an increasingly post-western movie landscape, sticking to an all-American hero in a red onesie, and going out on location for a change to put out some fires. We also talk about the highly problematic relationship this movie has with its female characters, the idea of having a landline on a plane and whether Hellfighters can be seen as a protoplast for the disaster movie genre. Hosts: Jakub Flasz & Randy Burrows Intro: Infraction - Cassette Outro: Infraction - Daydream Head over to uncutgemspodcast.com to find all of our archival episodes and more! Follow us on Twitter (@UncutGemsPod), IG (@UncutGemsPod) and Facebook (@UncutGemsPod) Buy us a coffee over at Ko-Fi.com (ko-fi.com/uncutgemspod) Subscribe to our Patreon! (patreon.com/uncutgemspod)
We take a look back at Hellfighters (1968) Starring John Wayne!
EPISODE 50 - “Birthday Tribute to Classic Film star Vera Miles” - 08/26/2024 ** This episode is sponsored brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/BENEATH and get on your way to being your best self.” ** After placing 3rd runner up to Miss America in 1948 as Miss Kansas, VERA MILES soon embarked on a long and illustrious career in Hollywood and was soon working with great directors like ALFRED HITCHCOCK (“Psycho” and “The Wrong Man”) and JOHN FORD (“The Searchers” and “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance”). This week, we pay tribute to Miles as she turns 95 on August 23rd. Listen as we celebrate this beautiful, talented, and somewhat underrated star. SHOW NOTES: Sources: Hitchcock's Heroines (2018), by Caroline Young; Women In The Films of John Ford (2014), by David Mevel; “Vera Miles: Country Girl in Hollywood,” May 13, 1956, by J.D. Spiro, Los Angeles, Times; “Vera Miles: She's Alfred Hitchcock's Newest Acting Find,” January 13, 1957, Parade Magazine; “Vera Miles Says: I'm Glad I Was Poor,” May 1959, by Amy Francis, Screenland Magazine; “Vera Miles: Official Biography,” September 1961, Paramount Pictures; “The Loser Who Became A Star,” May 15, 1973, by Earl Wilson, The New York Post; “Fighting Trim Vera Miles Still A Doer,” February 20, 1981, by Mark Hemeter, The Times-Picayne (New Orleans); “Psycho Actress Defends Hitchcock,” June 25, 1983, by Richard Freedman, The Spokesman-Review, Newhouse News Service; “Vera Miles: Hollywood Walk of Fame,” June 29, 2010, by Carina MacKenzie, Los Angeles Times; TCM.com; IMDBPro.com; Wikipedia.com; Movies Mentioned: For Men Only (1952), starring Paul Henried; The Rose Bowl Story (1952), starring Marshall Thompson; The Charge At Feather River (1953), starring Guy Madison and Helen Westcott; Pride of the Blue Grass (1954), starring Lloyd Bridges; Tarzan's Hidden Jungle (1955), starring Gordon Scott; Wichita (1955), starring Joel McCrea; The Searchers (1956), starring John Wayne and Jeffrey Hunter; The Wrong Man (1956), starring Henry Fonda; Beau James (1957), starring Bob Hope; Web Of Evidence (1959), starring Van Johnson; The FBI Story (1959), starring James Stewart; A Touch Of Larceny (1960), starring James Mason and George Sanders; 5 Banded Women (1960), starring Jeanne Moreau; Psycho (1960), starring Anthony Perkins, Janey Leigh, and John Gavin; Back Street (1961), starring Susan Hayward and John Gavin; The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), starring John Wayne and James Stewart; A Tiger Walks (1964), starring Brian Keith; Those Calloways (1965), starring Brian Keith, Brandon De Wilde, and Linda Evans; Follow Me Boys! (1966), starring Fred MacMurray; The Spirit Is Willing (1967), starring Sid Caesar; Gentle Giant (1967), starring Dennis Weaver and Ralph Meeker; Hellfighters (1968), starring John Wayne and Katharine Ross; The Wild Country (1970), starring Steve Forrest; One Little Indian (1973), starring James Garner; The Castaway Cowboy (1974), starring James Garner; Run For The Roses (1977), starring Stuart Whitman; Smash Up On Interstate 5 (1976), starring Robert Conrad, Buddy Ebson, Sue Lyon, Terry Moore, and Tommy Lee Jones; Psycho II (1983), starring Anthony Perkins; The Initiation (1984), starring Clu Galugar and Daphne Zuniga; Separate Lives (1995), starring Linda Hamilton and Jim Belushi; --------------------------------- http://www.airwavemedia.com Please contact sales@advertisecast.com if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Today Ben and Pat tell the story of the 396th Infantry Regiment - an all African American unit that spent 191 days in combat in WWI, more than any other unit, they fought so ferociously, the Germans called them the "Hollenkampfer" aka Hellfighters. Tune in to find to hear more... And if you're enjoying the show, tell your friends, tell your enemies, tell your mom and leave us a rating and a comment! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
“The circumstances under which we are spending this particular Christmas are unusual.” This is the story of the Christmases of World War I. Germans and British troops, singing carols together. French and German troops, kicking, playing sports and exchanging treats. It may not last, but for a brief moment–for Christmas of 1914–these opposing armies refuse the orders of their superiors as they temporarily “beat their swords into plowshares and spears into pruninghooks.” In the years ahead, the United States' forces have their own Christmas celebrations “over there.” In 1917, New York's Harlem Rattlers, or Hellfighters, sing and celebrate as they travel to France. In 1918, all ranks of the AEF–be they doughboys or Hello Girls–celebrate a post-armistice Christmas. We'll catch a speech by the president and a Christmas Bash at Black Jack Pershing's headquarters where George Patton eats way too much plum pudding. And then, we'll say goodbye to Black Jack. With a loving Christmas connection years down the road, it's time to lay him to rest with his beloved doughboys in Arlington. ____ 3 Ways to dive deeper into History That Doesn't Suck Join our growing facebook community Get our weekly newsletter, The Revolution Become part of the HTDS Patreon family Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
World War I is at its climax in 1918, when the Americans arrive in France. Among them are the African-American 369th Infantry Regiment. They descend into the Western Front...and ascend into legend as the Harlem Hellfighters. But they have to wage two wars: one against the Germans in the trenches; the other against racism at home.Sources: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episode-44-hellfighters-sourcesSocial Media:https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcasthttps://twitter.com/unksoldierspodMusic:Battlefield by Alexander Nakarada | https://www.serpentsoundstudios.comMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Washington Post senior critic-at-large Robin Givhan speaks with textile artist Bisa Butler about her work depicting historical and contemporary figures, her latest piece depicting an all-Black segregated infantry division during World War I and reckoning with history through art. Recorded on Thursday, June 2, 2022.
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Race Series. Episode #4 of 4. In today's episode we're going to explore race in the 1920s and dig into a few key moments and movements to see how race and ethnicity played a key role in shaping the American interwar years. Find transcripts and shownotes at www.digpodcast.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Tracklist 1. Sarajevo 2. Stormtroopers 3. Dreadnought 4. The Unkillable Soldier 5. Soldier Of Heaven 6. Hellfighters 7. Race to the Sea 8. Lady Of The Dark 9. The Valley Of Death 10. Christmas Truce 11. Versailles --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/brutally-delicious/message
Black History Month 2022 is here and we are celebrating our Blackness! During this episode of Let's Chat, Leah and Deveter discuss the ways in which they celebrate Black History Month. Leah introduced her mom to The Harlem Hellfighters! Take a listen you may learn something too!Leah's book suggestion for this week is Blended by Sharon M. DraperBy Nick Garbervia the msn.com news web site HARLEM, NY — The Harlem Hellfighters, a majority-Black World War I regiment whose soldiers won plaudits for their bravery, have come a step closer to getting long-delayed recognition from the federal government.The U.S. Senate on Monday passed the Harlem Hellfighters Congressional Gold Medal Act, a bill introduced by New York lawmakers that would award the medal to the Hellfighters. Having already passed the House in June, it now only needs President Joe Biden's signature to become official.Descendants of the soldiers had gathered this spring at Harlems 369th Regiment Armory — constructed in the Hellfighters' honor — as U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi announced he was introducing a bill to honor the group."It is never too late to do the right thing," said Suozzi, a Long Island congressman who became interested in the Hellfighters after he was approached by neighbors whose ancestor, Sgt. Leander Willett, had been injured in France while serving with the regiment.The Hellfighters, a segregated regiment composed mostly of Black and Puerto Rican troops, were deployed to France in 1917. They earned their nickname from their German foes, who were impressed by their enemies' bravery on the battlefield.In 1918, the Hellfighters were assigned to serve with the French Army, rather than with their white countrymen who refused to serve with Black soldiers — a "decades-old injustice" that the Gold Medal would help correct, Suozzi said in April.
Mike Grubb is National President at Hellfighters International. To learn more about Hellfighters or support their ministry visit: https://hellfighters.org/ or https://www.facebook.com/hellfightersinternational To learn more about Mission at the Cross visit: http://missionatthecross.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/Missionlaurel Eddie Parker - 850-619-7775 To sign up for the Biblical Courage newsletter or support the podcast, visit: https://biblicalcourage.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/biblicalcourage/support
During World War One the 369th Infantry Regiment of the US Army gained a fearsome reputation. One of the most effective fighting units they spent more time in the frontline and suffered more casualties than any other American regiment. Given the nickname Men of Bronze by the French and the Hell-fighters by the Germans they were feared and respected in equal measure. The men of the 369th preferred, at the time, to be called the Black Rattlers and what set them apart from other units was that they were one of the first African-American regiments to serve with the American Expeditionary Forces. As African-Americans, these brave men were often denied the respect they deserved at home as America went through a period of intense racism and racial upheaval. In fact, it was only in August 2021 that the regiment was recognised for its extraordinary service when it was finally awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. Dan is joined by James Taub Public Program Specialist at The National WWI Museum and Memorial in Kansas to explore the history of the Harlem Hellfighters. They discuss the racism black soldiers experience in the US Army at the time, the experiences of the Hellfighters in Europe, their reputation as fearsome soldiers and the cultural impact they had in France. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
During World War One the 369th Infantry Regiment of the US Army gained a fearsome reputation. One of the most effective fighting units they spent more time in the frontline and suffered more casualties than any other American regiment. Given the nickname Men of Bronze by the French and the Hell-fighters by the Germans they were feared and respected in equal measure. The men of the 369th preferred, at the time, to be called the Black Rattlers and what set them apart from other units was that they were one of the first African-American regiments to serve with the American Expeditionary Forces. As African-Americans, these brave men were often denied the respect they deserved at home as America went through a period of intense racism and racial upheaval. In fact, it was only in August 2021 that the regiment was recognised for its extraordinary service when it was finally awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. Dan is joined by James Taub Public Program Specialist at The National WWI Museum and Memorial in Kansas to explore the history of the Harlem Hellfighters. They discuss the racism black soldiers experience in the US Army at the time, the experiences of the Hellfighters in Europe, their reputation as fearsome soldiers and the cultural impact they had in France. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
You've probably never heard about The Harlem Hellfighters. They were the only African-American regiment in World War I and became known as some of the most formidable soldiers fighting for the Allied forces. But guess what? The US government wasn't a big fan and despite their heroism, the Hellfighters were treated like garbage. Ato and Chris share the 369th Infantry Regiment's story and discuss its relevance today. Also, they talk about Ed Harris. Because...well, Ed F*ckin' Harris.
TurdOrTreasure is ThisWeekInGeek's dedicated review show covering everything from games to movies to tv to electronics and everything between.This Episode:What's New?- Anker Nano (Wall Charger Review)https://us.anker.com/pages/uai2020- Biomutant (PS4 THQ Nordic Review)https://www.biomutant.com/en/- Morgue (Well Go USA Bluray Review)https://www.wellgousa.com/films/morgue- Ultraman Leo, Scars Of War, Hellfighters (Mill Creek Bluray Reviews)https://www.millcreekent.com/collections/all/products/ultraman-leohttps://www.millcreekent.com/collections/all/products/scars-of-war-collectionhttps://www.millcreekent.com/collections/all/products/hellfighters- Wonder Boy Asha In Monster World (ININ PS4 Review)https://wonderboy.inin.games/Whats Next?Your Geekmaster:Alex "The Producer" - https://twitter.com/DeThPhaseTWIGFeedback for the show?:Email: feedback@thisweekingeek.netTwitter: https://twitter.com/thisweekingeekYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc1BfUrFWqEYha8IYiluMyAiTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-geek/id215643675Spotify: spotify:show:0BHP4gkzubuCsJBhU3oNWXGoogle Podcasts: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc3ByZWFrZXIuY29tL3Nob3cvMzU3MTAzNy9lcGlzb2Rlcy9mZWVkCastbox: https://castbox.fm/channel/id2162049Website: http://www.thisweekingeek.netMay 27, 2021
In one of the most interesting episodes yet, Dave sits down with Brian Krause who started his career with legendary well control pioneer, Red Adair, once immortalized on screen by John Wayne in the major motion picture, Hellfighters. Brian and Dave reminisce about Red and some of the most tragic oil well disasters they were called in to fight with their world-renowned savoir-faire and true grit. These are classic Texas stories with true legends of the oil boom years that made Houston what it is today.
This section of the tour describes how Harlem came to be the destination for many people escaping the increasingly violent racism of the turn-of-the-century South, eventually earning the status of The Capital of Black America.World War One was an important event for Harlem, which saw many residents sent to France to fight on the front lines. Earning the nickname 'The Hellfighters' and decorated with one of France's highest honors, these soldiers returned to Harlem as heroes. But despite their sacrifices, race relations in the United States did not see any of the hoped for improvement - the post-war period in saw several vicious race riots throughout the country.In the post-war years, Harlem became a cultural center, where important Black artists lived and worked. This period became known as the 'Harlem Renaissance'.
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On February 17, 1919, in the waning months of World War I, the Harlem Hellfighters – officially the 369th Infantry Regiment, originally a New York National Guard division that had just come from intense battle in France – marched up Fifth Avenue to an unbelievable show of support and love. The Hellfighters were comprised of young African-American men from New York City and the surrounding area, its enthusiastic recruits made up of those who had arrived in the city during a significant period of population migration from the Reconstruction South to (only slightly) more tolerant Northern cities. They were not able to serve in regular American military units because of segregation, but because of an unusual series of events, the regiment instead fought alongside the French in the trenches, for 191 days in the year 1918, more than any other American unit during the war. They became legends. They were known around the world for their valor, ferocity and bravery. This is the story of New York musicians, red caps, budding painters, chauffeurs and teenagers just out of school, serving their country in a way that would become legendary. FEATURING the voices of World War I veterans telling their own stories. PLUS some brilliant music and a story from Barack Obama (okay it’s just a clip of the former president but still.) boweryboyshistory.com Support the show.
A fun John Wayne macho fest, where some of the regular cast fights oil well fires. Not an Oscar-caliber film but Hellfighters (1968) is a fun watch. SPREAD THE WORD! If you enjoyed this episode head on over to iTunes and kindly leave us a rating, a review, and subscribe! We would love to get your feedback! Email jec@classicmovierev.com Click here to subscribe via iTunes Read more at classicmovierev.com
630 - World War I and Us Historical look at our flag, WWI, Harlem’s Hellfighters, and the Trench Gun News: the NAAGA is having its first convention in 2020, and I am taking a break from this podcast. Shout out to all on Youtube that listened. Please give me a thumbs up there. If you are new, please take the time to listen to any of the 629 episodes previously until I return. If you want to contact me, blackmanwithagun@gmail.com If you would like to purchase a book, go to http://book.blackmanwithagun.com If you would like to support the app, (blackmanwithagun.org) the hosting, the website redesign that is coming and even yours truly, please go to https://patreon.com/blackmanwithagun Shalom baby, Kenn
He was the king of the Hellfighters, a fearless battler of the most dangerous kind of fire ever known, oil well fires. This week we look at the life of the great Red Adair.
Highlights 100 years ago this week: Drafting the young and the “idlers” | @01:15 War in the Sky: From Signal Corps to US Army Air Service | @07:40 Cantigny: AEF on the offensive - Mike Shuster & Dr. Edward Lengel | @11:15 Great War Channel: The Fightin-est Marine - Indy Neidell | @17:15 369th Experience in NYC memorial weekend | @18:25 The Moralist: New Woodrow Wilson Book - Prof. Patricia O’Toole | @21:15 Update from the States: Artillery, dissenters and shells - Michael Hitt | @27:15 Remembering Vets: PTSD and Trauma - Dr. Jason Crouthamel | @32:45 Speaking WWI: Some onomatopoeia -Whizzband, Crump and Dud | @39:35 WW1 War Tech: The bicycle in WW1 | @41:15 Weekly Dispatch: Article highlights from the newsletter | @44:25 The Buzz: Commemoration in Social Media - Katherine Akey | @46:25----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - episode #73 - It’s about WW1 THEN - what was happening 100 years ago this week - and it’s about WW1 NOW - news and updates about the centennial and the commemoration. This week: Mike Schuster and Dr Edward Lengel fill us in on the action at Cantigny Patricia O’Toole tells us about her book The Moralist: Woodrow Wilson and the World He Made Michael Hitt updates us on the great state of Georgia in the war Dr. Jason Crouthamel shares his expertise on PTSD, Trauma and WW1 Katherine Akey with the commemoration of world war one in social media All on WW1 Centennial News -- a weekly podcast brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission, the Pritzker Military Museum and Library and the Starr foundation. I’m Theo Mayer - the Chief Technologist for the Commission and your host. Welcome to the show. [MUSIC] Preface Although we know that the fighting in WWI is going to end this coming November - 100 years ago this week, the world did not! The United States continues on it’s war effort, changing industry, society and nearly every aspect of life in the country. This includes continuing to draft young men into the military service. With that in mind, let’s jump into our Centennial Time Machine and go back 100 years to see what’s leading in the news this week 100 years ago in the War that Changed the World! [MUSIC TRANSITION] [SOUND EFFECT] [TRANSITION] World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week [SOUND EFFECT From the pages of the Official Bulletin - the government’s war gazette - published by George Creel and the Committee on Public information - our government propaganda ministry, this week the headlines are full renewed vigor for pushing the war effort forward! I want to stop and give you a note we have not mentioned for many weeks: The US WWI Centennial Commission is republishing this amazing primary source of information on what the US Government was thinking, saying and promoting 100 years ago. We re-publish a new issue, every day on the centennial of its original publication date… So if you want to read the governments daily newspaper (except Sunday of course), go to ww1cc.org/bulletin and you can follow the war effort in a wholly unique and very interesting way. [SOUND EFFECT] DATELINE: Tuesday, May 21, 1918 Today the headline of the Official Bulletin reads: President, in opening Red Cross campaign, calls German peace approaches insincere; no limit on size of Army going to France! In the story President Woodrow Wilson says: Quote: There are two duties with which we are face to face. The first duty is to win the war, and the second duty, that goes hand in hand with it, is to win it greatly and worthily, showing the real quality of not only our power, but the real quality of our purpose and of ourselves. Of course, the first duty, the duty that we must keep in the foreground of all of our thoughts until it is accomplished, is to win the war. I have heard gentleman recently say that we must get 5 million men ready. I ask, why limited to 5 million? He continues with: We are not diverted from the grim purpose of winning the war by any insincere approaches upon the subject of peace. I can say with a clear conscience that I have tested those imitations, and have found them insincere. The president goes on to describe the full commitment and focus of the nation to carry out our mission. All this prefaces a proclamation the President will make the very next day - setting up a new call to arms to young men who have turned 21, and to all men who are not engaged directly in the war effort as you are about to hear. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline, Tuesday, May 21, 1918 The headline reads: President’s proclamation fixing June 5 as date for registering young men who have reached the age of 21 during the past year Only persons exempt are the officers and enlisted men in naval and military service The proclamation includes: It is resolved by the Senate and House representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled that during the present emergency all male persons, citizens of the United States, and all male persons residing in the United States, who have, since the fifth day of June 1917, and on or before the day set for the registration, attained the age of 21 years, shall be subject to registration in accordance with the regulations to be prescribed by the President, stating the time and place of such registration. It shall be the duty of all such persons, except such persons as are exempt from registration, to present themselves for and submit to registration under the provisions of set act approved May 18, 1917. The guy in charge of pulling off this new draft registration is the Provost Marshall - a General Enoch Herbert Crowder from Missouri. He seemed determined not to let anything slip by as the next article illustrates: [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline Thursday, May 23, 1918 A headline in the New York Times reads: Work or fight, warning to all on draft rolls Gen. Crowder issues sweeping order aimed at idlers and those in non-useful pursuits. Goes into effect on July 1 Includes gamblers, waiters, service, store clerks, elevator men, and those with no occupation. Maybe blow to baseball. In the article it reads: Idlers, unemployed and those of draft age not engaged in a central or useful employment will be rounded up for military service unless they apply themselves at some sort of labor that will dovetail into the plans of the administration for winning the war. All such youths of draft age we'll either have to serve in the army or work. There is resistance to the draft around the nation, but for the most part, the young men of America join up, and loyally help the war effort in the best way they can - and they are put on notice… 100 years ago this week. in the war that changed the world. See the May 20 to may 24 issues of the official bulletin at ww1cc.org/bulletin and see other links in the podcast notes. [MUSIC TRANSITION] War in the Sky Also - One hundred years ago this week, the war in the sky takes a turn for America, not on the battlefields of europe but in the halls of administration back home. [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline May 20, 1918 A headline of The New York Times reads: Wilson recasts aviation service Takes all control of operations and production away from signal core President acts under the Overman law to bring about improvements in the situation Pres. Wilson today took what he regards as definitive action towards the improvement of the Army aircraft program when he issued a presidential order stripping the chief signal corps officer of the Army, Major Gen. George O. Squier, of every function pertaining to aircraft and aviation. The functions were transferred to two new offices, Bureau of military aeronautics and The bureau of aircraft production Created directly under the Secretary of War. “The signal Corps”, said Sec. Baker this afternoon, “will now have only to do with signals, and nothing to do with any phase of the production or use of aircraft.” The order gives Brigadier General William Kenley all of the property pertaining to the use of aircraft and all money in connection therewith. This development essentially creates the US Army Air Corps. Our regular listeners may remember from our March 9, episode #62 - how the Signal Corps, one of the real technology innovators was also the founding pioneer in the use of aircraft for the military… Here is a clip from Episode #62 [change sound EQ] By the turn of the century the US Army Signal Corps had taken on a leadership role not just with visual signalling but also with the telegraph, telephone, cable communications, meteorology, combat photography and had even sprouted an aeronautical and aviation section. Nearly a decade before American Forces engaged the enemy, the wright brothers made test flights of the army’s first airplane built to Signal Corps’ specifications. Tests appropriately performed at Fort Myers. Army aviation stayed with the Signal Corps until May of 1918, when the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps is transformed by President Wilson’s Executive order, into the Army Air Service - the forerunner of the United States Air Force. Well, that moment in May of 1918 is now… driven partially by the previous “scandals” about the effectiveness of US investment in its airplane development, production and training, and partially by the fact the aircraft - once seen primarily as reconnaissance devices are taking on a strategic offensive warcraft role - now put under the US Army Air Service and later to become the US Air Force. A transition that takes a major turn this week 100 years ago in the war in the sky.See the podcast notes for a simple 50 year timeline showing how the use of aircraft evolved from 1907 to September 1947 when the US Air Force is established as a separate branch of the US Armed Forces. Timeline: Aeronautical Division, Signal Corps (1 August 1907 – 18 July 1914) Aviation Section, Signal Corps (18 July 1914 – 20 May 1918) Division of Military Aeronautics (20 May 1918 – 24 May 1918) Air Service, U.S. Army (24 May 1918 – 2 July 1926) U.S. Army Air Corps (2 July 1926 – 20 June 1941)* U.S. Army Air Forces (20 June 1941 – 17 September 1947) US Air Force - established as a separate branch on September 18, 1947 http://www.worldwar1.com/dbc/airserv1.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_United_States_Air_Force#World_War_I_and_between_wars https://media.defense.gov/2010/Oct/13/2001329759/-1/-1/0/AFD-101013-008.pdf NYTimes Air Service Articles https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/21/102703124.pdf Battle of Cantigny This week, 100 years ago in the war on the Western Front-- the American forces attack for the first time at Cantigny, in France. Both Mike Shuster and Ed Lengel tell us the story of the battle, a first test of American mettle-- but they each explore the event using different sources. So this week, we are going to blend the together the Great War Project with Mike Shuster - and America Emerges with Dr. Edward Lengel into a single story about the battle of Cantigny. [MIKE SHUSTER] [ED LENGEL] Mike Shuster, is a former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War Project blog and Dr. Edward Lengel is an American military historian, author, and our segment host for America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI. There are links in the podcast notes to both their sites. LINK - Mike Shuster: http://greatwarproject.org/2018/05/20/pounded-to-hell-and-gone/ LINK - Dr. Edward Lengel http://www.edwardlengel.com/assault-cantigny-1918-u-s-army-comes-age/ https://www.facebook.com/EdwardLengelAuthor/ http://www.edwardlengel.com/about/ Updates on fighting front in the NY Times https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/21/102703093.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/22/102703392.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/21/102703022.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/21/102703024.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/21/102703021.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/23/102703788.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/24/102704171.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/24/102704174.pdf The Great War Channel This week the Great War Channel on Youtube released a wonderful bio episode on the US Marine Corps’ legendary Dan Daly - the recipient of two Medals of Honor and probably deserving of more. The episode is called: The Fightin-est Marine - Dan Daly: [RUN CLIP - INDY NEIDELL] To see the whole clip, search for “the great war” on youtube or follow the link in the podcast notes! Link:https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar World War One NOW And that’s the news from 100 Years ago this week - so now let’s fast forward into the present with WW1 Centennial News NOW - [SOUND EFFECT] This part of the podcast focuses on NOW and how we are commemorating the centennial of WWI! Commission News 369th Experience in NYC This week in Commission News -- we want to highlight a special Memorial Day centennial event happening in New York City! It’s the 369th Experience -- Three musical performances depicting the African American and Puerto Rican experience in World War I through the eyes and ears of the 369th U.S. Infantry Regimental band. Named by their German enemies as the HellFighters, the “Harlem Hellfighters", the 369th regiment was formed out of the volunteer 15th New York National Guard. While they were “Over There” fought heroically and ferociously in the trenches of France - under french command - through some of the most brutal combat, in some of the most important battles, of the entire war. Their story is a powerful one as they faced staunch racism during training, in a segregated military and sadly- after their exemplary performance as American Soldiers…. on their return home from the war. The 369th famously had as part of their unit a regimental military band -- made up of some of the most influential & talented musicians of their day. The military band became legendary for their unique sound, and their warm reception by the people of the war-torn regions “over there” -- under the care of band leader, Major James Reese Europe,they introduced French listeners to American jazz, and ushered in the Jazz Age in europe. Carrying on their legacy, the 369th Experience pulls together talented modern-day musicians from colleges around the country. They competed to participate in a 369th tribute - which will perform and highlight the original band’s music This Memorial Day Weekend. The U.S. World War One Centennial Commission is proud to sponsor the performances by the 369th EXPERIENCE at the USS Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum Complex in New York. The concerts are free and are sure to be awesome! If you are in the big apple this memorial day weekend - perhaps attending fleet week - Performances are schedule for Sunday, May 27th, at 1:00 pm and on Monday at 1:30pm & 3:30 pm at the USS Intrepid. There are reference links in the podcast notes and we will be doing a follow up story next week to tell you how it went. Links: www.IntrepidMuseum.org https://www.369experience.com/ http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/369th-experience.html Spotlight on the Media Book: The Moralist For this week’s Spotlight on the Media -- we are turning our attention back onto the President of the United States during World War One, Woodrow Wilson. We’re joined by Professor Patricia O’Toole, a biographer and professor emerita in the School of the Arts at Columbia University and author of three acclaimed biographies including her new book: The Moralist: Woodrow Wilson and the World He Made Welcome to the podcast! [welcome/greetings] [Patricia - let we start with an overview question - Woodrow Wilson doesn't always show up on the list of the most important presidents in US history - Do you think he was? And why?] [When you call Wilson “the moralist” -- what do you mean?] [He was also one of the few “professional” ] [Wilson seems like a bundle of contrasting ideas - He campaigns with - He keep us out of war” - but then leads the nation to war. He wants America to fight for freedom and liberty - but he nationalized industries, gags dissent and attacks freedom of speech...so the question is - How do all these contrasting ideas reconcile?] [This is a man who had a huge effect on the nation and indeed on the world - what would you say his most remarkable achievement was as a President?] [President Wilson is, of course, an ongoing key character on this podcast, what else should we understand about Wilson --- to help us keep it all --- and him in context?] [thank you/goodbyes] Professor Patricia O’Toole is a biographer and professor emerita in the School of the Arts at Columbia University. We have links for you in the podcast notes to learn more about her biographies including The Moralist: Woodrow Wilson and the World He Made. Links: http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Moralist/Patricia-OToole/9780743298094 http://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Patricia-OToole/1507953 Updates from the States Marietta Museum and Georgia in WW1 For our Updates from the States -- this week we head down to Georgia, where a passionate citizen historian, author, veteran and retired police officer Michael Hitt has become something of a Georgia-in-WW1 expert. Welcome, Michael! [greetings/welcomes] [Michael -- to start us off, you mentioned to us that there are two incidents - forgotten incidents in Georgia from WWI - could you outline them about them?] [You recently made a shocking -- and potentially dangerous -- discovery at a local Museum. Would happened?] [You know similar stories have come up from the UK, and France. If you are a museum curator - is there a procedure you should follow with military artifacts?] [Michael - thank you for coming in and telling us about Georgia in WWI and some of the commemorative events.] [goodbyes/thank you] Michael Hitt is a citizen historian, author, veteran and retired police officer of 34 years. Links:www.michaelhitt.com Remembering Veterans PTSD and Trauma in WW1 and Today Moving to Remembering Veterans -- May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so we wanted to take a look into the history of PTSD and trauma both in WW1 and after. With us to help us navigate the topic is Dr. Jason Crouthamel, Professor of History at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan and co-editor with Peter Leese of the book Psychological Trauma and the Legacy of the First World War. Welcome, Dr. Crouthamel! [greetings/welcome] [“shell shock” was coined during WW1-- how was it perceived and dealt with during the war?] [Was PTSD recognized before WW1?] [What about WW1 changed the way trauma is understood and handled by the medical community and by society at large?] [Jumping off your book’s title-- what IS the legacy of the first world war when it comes to psychological trauma?] [goodbyes/thank you] Dr. Crouthamel is a Professor of History at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan. Learn more about him and his numerous books by visiting the link in the podcast notes. We’ve also included links where you can learn more about PTSD and Veterans’ health. links:https://www.gvsu.edu/history/jason-crouthamel-58.htm https://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/ptsd-overview/basics/how-common-is-ptsd.asp https://maketheconnection.net/conditions/ptsd https://www.vets.gov/disability-benefits/conditions/ptsd/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/ptsd-civil-wars-hidden-legacy-180953652/ Speaking WW1 Welcome to our weekly feature “Speaking World War 1” -- Where we explore the words & phrases that are rooted in the war --- An onomatopoeia is defined as a word that phonetically imitates, resembles or suggests the sound that it describes, like buzz or hissss. And that leads into our Speaking WW1 words for this week. Whizzzbang! Crrrrump! And DUD. These onomatopoeia, each for different munitions -- their nicknames reflecting the noise that they made as they soared through the air towards the trenches. Whizzbangs were small, fast moving shells -- crumps were high explosives. And DUDS -- well, they were duds! Before the war, Duds were clothes -- and indeed we sometimes still use that meaning today! But during the war, as munitions and artillery earned nicknames for their sound and their appearance, the word “dud” referred to a shell that failed to explode, supposedly derived from the ‘thud’ sound the shell would make when it hit the ground. Shells could bury themselves feet deep into the soft muddy earth of the western front if they failed to go off-- and as many as one in every three shells fired did not detonate! In the Ypres Salient alone an estimated 300 million projectiles from World War I were duds, and most of them have not yet been recovered. DUD - we hope they stay that way - and this week’s word for speaking WW1. There are links for you in the podcast notes. Links: https://wordsinwartime.wordpress.com/2015/02/05/watching-language-change-in-ww1-on-being-a-dud/ [SOUND EFFECT] WW1 War Tech Bike Month This week for WW1 War Tech -- May is bike month! So as the saying goes, they rode into WWI on horses and came out riding tanks and planes --- -- but they also rode a lot of bicycles. For their combination of speed and efficiency there isn’t much that can beat the modern bicycle. Experiments were carried out in the late 19th century to determine the possible role of bicycles and cycling within the military, primarily because a soldier on a bike can carry more equipment and travel longer distances than a soldier marching. The US Army experimentally mounted infantry on bicycles in 1897 and had them complete a 1,900 mile journey across the plains and the Midwest. The Army’s evaluation found that the bicycle lacked the ability to carry heavier weapons -- It could not replace the horse’s ability to carry heavier artillery broken down into pack loads. And so for the US military - bicycle units were not promoted. However, despite not having a bike mounted infantry, the United States took a large number, perhaps over twenty thousand, bicycles to Europe with the AEF - the American Expeditionary Force. The signal corps used bikes to deliver messenger pigeons to units and to monitor telephone and telegraph lines. By 1918, each unit had some 40 bikes at its disposal, mostly used to transmit messages. The military police also used bicycles, patrolling roads and managing traffic control stations behind the front. Many of the european military bike mounted groups wielded foldable bikes that they could carry on their backs to cross more difficult terrain. The bikes even came in handy for a more modern use -- they could be turned into man-powered generators for bringing electricity to the trenches. Bikes did not, however, make or break military power during the war -- they had many uses, but could not give an army an advantage the way tanks, planes and artillery could. Many of the proposed uses for bicycles -- carrying machine guns, transporting the wounded, scouting the front lines -- were impractical given the realities of Trench Warfare. The bikes at the front also proved an outlet for fun and distraction. Motorcycle and Bicycle Illustrated, a contemporary magazine, frequently reported on bike antics in the AEF-- Their March 1919 issue reported that the first AEF bicycle race occurred on George Washington’s Birthday, February 22nd, 1919, at Bar-sur-Aube, France. The winner was Private Vandermeeren of First Army Headquarters, a Belgian immigrant and a former Belgian Champion cyclist. Bicycles -- this week’s World War One War Tech. Check out the links in the podcast notes to learn more and to see some of the bike mounted infantry in action. Links: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.$b16269;view=1up;seq=7 Motorcycle and Bicycle Illustrated March 27, 1919 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433069061855;view=1up;seq=11 The United States Army in the World War 1917-1919, Organization of the AEF. 1948 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015051411091;view=1up;seq=5 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_infantry https://ww1ieper1917.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/bike-electric1.jpg http://historythings.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/bicycle-ambulance-WW1.jpg4_.jpg https://c1.thejournal.ie/media/2014/06/wwi-tour-de-france-390x285.jpg https://cyclehistory.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/iwmcyclist14.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/00/Indian_bicycle_troops_Somme_1916_IWM_Q_3983.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/originals/3a/0b/1b/3a0b1b235f1e21641f52e47b02584dd4.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5b/HJB10_%E2%80%93_Radfahr-Kompanie.jpg/300px-HJB10_%E2%80%93_Radfahr-Kompanie.jpg https://oldbike.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/soldierbike.jpg Articles and Posts For Articles and posts -- here are some of the highlights from our weekly Dispatch newsletter. [DING] Headline: The New Yorker magazine interviews Sabin Howard about national WWI Memorial at Pershing Park in DC In an article titled "There’s No First World War Memorial on the National Mall?" The New Yorker Magazine travels to Sabin Howard's Tribeca studio to see the sculptural maquette and get the inside story on the creative process for the national World War I Memorial at Pershing Park in Washington, DC. [DING] Headline: Pennsylvania WWI Symposium at US Army History and Education Center Read about a the recent WW1 Symposium in Pennsylvania, which the commission’s Volunteer Coordinator Betsy Anderson attended [DING] Headline: Proceedings due soon from "LaFayette U.S. voilà!" academic conference in Paris The French Society of Cincinnati and the Sorbonne University organized an international history conference , "LaFayette U.S. voilà!: The American Engagement in France, 1917-1918" back in November, 2017 in Paris. The conference proceedings are soon to be published, and you can read more about them in this article. [DING] Headline: Fred Meyers - our featured Story of Service Read about Fred Meyers, a farmer from South Dakota who served on the Western front 100 years ago this month. [DING] Finally, our selection from our Official online Centennial Merchandise store - this week, it’s our Canvas and Leather Tote-- You can show your American pride while carrying this Made in the USA dark khaki tote. Plenty of room for keys, wallet, tablet and documents. And those are some of the headlines this week from the Dispatch Newsletter Subscribe by going to ww1cc.org/subscribe or follow the links in the podcast notes Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/2015-12-28-18-26-00/subscribe.html http://www.ww1cc.org/dispatch The Buzz And that brings us to the buzz - the centennial of WW1 this week in social media with Katherine Akey - Katherine, what did you pick? The Great War Returns to PBS and Commemorative Stamps Hey Theo -- Just two short announcements this week: first off, the PBS special “The Great War” is going to re-air! So, if you missed it when it first came out last year, or if you’re like me and you just like rewatching good documentaries, you’re in luck. The three part series will come back to PBS stations everywhere on June 19th; the show can also be streamed online if you’re a subscribed member to your local PBS station, and you can visit the show’s website in the podcast links to watch hours of supplemental, free content. Second and last this week, the USPS has put out a preview of it’s upcoming specialty stamps for 2018 -- including a special World War One commemorative stamp. This Forever Stamp shows a doughboy, gripping the American flag as barbed wire and biplanes loom over his shoulder. The stamp is called “Turning the Tide” and pays tribute to the sacrifice of American soldiers and millions of supporters on the homefront during World War I. Other 2018 stamps include pioneering astronaut Sally Ride, everyone’s favorite neighbor Mister Rogers, and a showcase of bioluminescent life, among others. Check them all out by following the link in the podcast notes. That’s it for this week in the Buzz. Link:http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/great-war/ https://about.usps.com/news/national-releases/2017/pr17_079.htm [SOUND EFFECT] Outro And that wraps up this week in May for WW1 Centennial News. Thank you for listening. We also want to thank our guests... Mike Shuster, Curator for the great war project blog Dr. Edward Lengel, Military historian and author Patricia O’Toole biographer and professor emerita in the School of the Arts at Columbia University Michael Hitt, citizen historian, author, veteran and retired police officer Dr. Jason Crouthamel, Professor of History at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan Katherine Akey, WWI Photography specialist and line producer for the podcast Many thanks to Mac Nelsen our sound editor and to Eric Marr for his great input and research assistance... And I’m Theo Mayer your host. The US World War One Centennial Commission was created by Congress to honor, commemorate and educate about WW1. Our programs are to-- inspire a national conversation and awareness about WW1; Including this podcast! We are bringing the lessons of the 100 years ago into today's classrooms; We are helping to restore WW1 memorials in communities of all sizes across our country; and of course we are building America’s National WW1 Memorial in Washington DC. We want to thank commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library as well as the Starr foundation for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn - now with our new interactive transcript feature for students, teachers, bloggers, reporters and writers. You can also access the WW1 Centennial News podcast on iTunes, Google Play, TuneIn, Podbean, Stitcher - Radio on Demand, Spotify, using your smart speaker.. By saying “Play W W One Centennial News Podcast” - and now also available on Youtube - just search for our WW1 Centennial youtube channel. Our twitter and instagram handles are both @ww1cc and we are on facebook @ww1centennial. Thank you for joining us. And don’t forget to share the stories you are hearing here today about the war that changed the world! [music] No closing joke this week - but a puzzle - What do you think is the plural of Onomatopoeia So long!
Highlights: Submarine Chasers of WWI The 1918 Sedition Act | @01:35 Darkest before the dawn - Mike Shuster | @07:45 America Emerges - Dr. Edward Lengel | @11:445 Memorial Day Parade | @15:50 Hunters of the Steel Sharks - Todd Woofenden | @17:05 Remembering Major Raoul Lufbery - Raoul Lubery III | @24:40 Centenary News website - Peter Alhadeff & Patrick Gregory | @31:20 Speaking WWI - “I’m in a flap” | @38:15 Highlights of the Dispatch Newsletter | @39:30 The Buzz: The commemoration in social Media - Katherine Akey | @41:45----more---- Opening Welcome to World War 1 centennial News - episode #72 - It’s about WW1 THEN - what was happening 100 years ago this week - and it’s about WW1 NOW - news and updates about the centennial and the commemoration. This week: Mike Schuster, from the great war project blog tells us about the on-going German aggression, the allies desperation and Pershing’s plan to provide CERTAIN troops to be commanded Directly by the allied forces. Dr. Edward Lengel with a story about American troops that land in the UK. Todd Woofenden introduces us about the US Navy’s submarine chasers Tanveer Kalo helps us commemorate Asian Pacific Heritage Month Raoul Lufbery III tells us about a recent event in Connecticut commemorating his great-uncle, Raoul Lufbery Peter Alhadeff (AL-adeff) and Patrick Gregory join us from the WWI website “Centenary News” Katherine Akey with the commemoration of world war one in social media All on WW1 Centennial News -- a weekly podcast brought to you by the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission, the Pritzker Military Museum and Library and the Starr foundation. I’m Theo Mayer - the Chief Technologist for the Commission and your host. Welcome to the show. [MUSIC] Preface The United States constitutional Bill of rights was passed and adopted on December 15, 1791 This included the first amendment which reads: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances 126 years later, in 1917, under the pressures of entering WW1 - this constitutional right of the American people came under attack in profound ways. It began in June of 1917 with the passage of the Espionage Act, prohibiting any American from saying or doing anything to undermine the war effort, with the threat of 20 years in prison, a $10,000 fine, or both . 4 months later, in October 1917, congress followed up with the “Trading with the Enemy Act “, which empowered the government to confiscate the property of any person who engages in trade or any other form of financial transaction with an enemy nation during wartime. Overall, about $500 million worth of property was seized by the federal government in World War I from german immigrants and companies with ties to enemy nations, an amount equal to the entire federal budget before the War. But the most onerous attack on the first amendment was coming. With that as background let's jump into our Centennial Time Machine and roll back 100 years ago this week to learn more about the new Sedition Act! [MUSIC TRANSITION] [SOUND EFFECT] [TRANSITION] World War One THEN 100 Year Ago This Week [SOUND EFFECT] Dateline: May 21, 1918 A tiny obscure 4 line article appears in the New York times with the headline: President Signs Sedition Bill The entire article reads: President Wilson today signed the Sedition bill, giving the government wide powers to punish disloyal acts and utterances. Let me read that again… “Giving the government wide powers to punish disloyal acts and utterances.” That sounds downright unconstitutional… and if I had said that in May of 1918, I could have been prosecuted, fined $10,000 (the equivalent of $180,000 today) and imprisoned for up to 30 years! Though President Wilson and Congress regarded the Sedition Act as crucial in order to stifle the spread of dissent within the country in that time of war, modern legal scholars consider the act as contrary to the letter and spirit of the U.S. Constitution, namely to the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights. A part of the act also allowed the Postmaster General to refuse to deliver mail that met those same standards for punishable speech or opinion effectively blocking the mail dissemination of dissenting newspapers, pamphlets and flyers. It was directly applied to trying to control the socialist leaning organized labor movement, and one of the most famous prosecutions under the Sedition Act during World War I was that of Eugene V. Debs, a pacifist labor organizer and founder of the International Workers of the World (the IWW) who had run for president in 1900 as a Social Democrat and in 1904, 1908 and 1912 on the Socialist Party of America ticket. After delivering an anti-war speech in June 1918 in Canton, Ohio, Debs was arrested, tried and sentenced to 10 years in prison under the Sedition Act. Debs appealed the decision, and the case eventually reached the U.S. Supreme Court, in January of 1919. In March of 1919, 101 years ago this month the court ruled Debs had acted with the intention of obstructing the war effort and upheld his conviction. In the decision, Chief Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes referred to the earlier landmark case of Schenck v. United States (1919), when Charles Schenck, also a Socialist, had been found guilty under the Espionage Act after distributing a flyer urging recently drafted men to oppose the U.S. conscription policy. In this decision, Holmes maintained that freedom of speech and press could be constrained in certain instances, and that The question in every case is whether the words used are used in such circumstances and are of such a nature as to create a clear and present danger --- which will bring about the substantive evils that Congress has a right to prevent. Eugene Debs’ sentence was commuted a few years later in 1921 when the Sedition Act was repealed by Congress. Major portions of the Espionage Act remain part of United States law to the present day, although the crime of sedition was largely eliminated by a famous libel case in 1964, which determined that the press’s criticism of public officials was protected speech under the First Amendment — unless a plaintiff could prove that the statements were made maliciously or with reckless disregard for the truth—. Your right to free speech.. A very precious right and one that was effectively legislated against 100 years ago this week, in the war that changed the world! We have links in the podcast notes a BUNCH of articles from the NY times where the espionage, trading with the enemy and sedition acts were applied. NYTIMES Sedition Articles: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/22/102703485.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/08/102699810.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/08/13/97017110.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/13/102701408.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/07/102707634.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/11/102708351.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/11/102708489.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/28/102715535.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/07/01/102715561.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/07/06/102717028.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/07/16/102722083.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/31/118143506.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/06/07/102707383.pdf https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1918/05/14/102701611.pdf Links on Sedition Act: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/u-s-congress-passes-sedition-act https://www.politico.com/story/2012/05/congress-passes-the-sedition-act-may-16-1918-076336 https://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/social_conflict_and_control_protest_and_repression_usa http://cdn.loc.gov/service/ll/uscode/uscode1940-00505/uscode1940-005050a002/uscode1940-005050a002.pdf https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/us-confiscated-half-billion-dollars-private-property-during-wwi-180952144/ https://prologue.blogs.archives.gov/2017/06/15/defining-a-spy-the-espionage-act/ https://www.thirteen.org/wnet/supremecourt/capitalism/sources_document1.html https://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/labour_movements_trade_unions_and_strikes_usa https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/wilson-eugene-debs/ https://www.oyez.org/cases/1900-1940/249us211 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-eugene-debs-socialist-bernie-sanders-per-flashback-0131-20160127-column.html [MUSIC TRANSITION] Great War Project It’s time for Mike Shuster, former NPR correspondent and curator for the Great War Project Blog. Mike, your post points out that the Germans are far from out of the fight and the allied troops are very near collapse - While Pershing, standing fast on his determination not to put American troop under British and French command turns out not to apply to all troops equally. You point to a palpable Allied desperation - It seems like, on the western front it truly is darkest before the coming dawn. [thanks Theo - The headlines read] [MIKE POST] Mike Shuster curator for the Great War Project blog. The link to the blog and the post -- are in the podcast notes. LINK: http://greatwarproject.org/2018/05/13/another-german-attack-on-the-western-front/ [SOUND EFFECT] America Emerges: Military Stories from WW1 Now for - America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI with Dr. Edward Lengel. Not all the troops landed in France - Many of them arrived “Over There” in England including a yet unknown hero-to-be… As you will hear in Ed’s story. [ED LENGEL] [MUSIC TRANSITION] Dr. Edward Lengel is an American military historian, author, and our segment host for America Emerges: Military Stories from WWI. There are links in the podcast notes to Ed’s post and his web sites as an author. Links:http://www.edwardlengel.com/100-years-ago-alvin-c-york-arrives-great-britain/ https://www.facebook.com/EdwardLengelAuthor/ http://www.edwardlengel.com/about/ The Great War Channel From the Great War Channel on Youtube - videos about WWI 100 years ago this week, and from a more european perspective --- New episodes this week include: The Ostende Raid and the Peace of Bucharest Another episode is Marie Curie in WW1 and Who Killed the Red Baron Finally Evolution of French Infantry during World War One See their videos by searching for “the great war” on youtube or following the link in the podcast notes! Link:https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGreatWar World War One NOW That’s the news from 100 Years ago this week - It is time to fast forward into the present with WW1 Centennial News NOW - [SOUND EFFECT] This part of the podcast focuses on NOW and how we are commemorating the centennial of WWI! Commission News Memorial Day Parade in DC This week in Commission News -- The National Memorial Day Parade in Wshington DC is coming up on Monday, May 28th! The parade will be huge -- including marching bands, flags, celebrities, veterans of all ages, 300,000 cheering visitors, and TV cameras that will broadcast the parade across the country. This year, the parade will feature a special tribute to the American veterans of World War I, including several World War I-era military vehicles -- and for the first time ever -- a parade float to emphasise the centennial of WWI and America’s National WWI Memorial, which the Commission is building in Washington DC. Commission volunteers will walking the parade and giving out free packets of Poppy seeds as a symbol of remembrance and sacrifice of those who served in WWI. This parade is our nation’s largest Memorial Day event, drawing hundreds of thousands of spectators to the National Mall to pay tribute to those who serve and have served. Read more about the 2018 National Memorial Day Parade at the link in the podcast notes. Links: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/press-media/wwi-centennial-news/4441-centennial-commission-to-be-represented-in-2018-national-memorial-day-parade.html Spotlight on the Media Submarine Chasers[AUDIO CLIP] That was a 1918 radio style dramatization of a submarine attack on a US ship - from a cylinder recording we found. For a more contemporary take, and for this week’s Spotlight on the Media -- we are going to learn more about the US Submarine Chasers of World War One. Joining us is Todd A. Woofenden, editor of The Subchaser Archives website and author of the book Hunters of the Steel Sharks: The Submarine Chasers of WWI. Great book title, Todd! Welcome to the podcast! [welcome/greetings] Todd-- the submarine warfare conducted by the Germans helped push America over the brink and into war -- so, once we were in, how did the US respond to the continuing submarine threat? The fleet set out to chase the submarines was pretty unique -- Why did we pick small, wooden vessels for the job? WWI was all about new tech…. What was the TECH side of chasing and attacking submarines? What should we remember about this endeavor - and what did it lead to in the future? [thank you/goodbyes] Todd A. Woofenden is the editor of The Subchaser Archives website and author of the book Hunters of the Steel Sharks: The Submarine Chasers of WWI. We have links for you in the podcast notes to learn more and how to get a copy of the book for yourself! Links: https://www.subchaser.org/ https://www.signallightbooks.com/hunters Events Lufbery Memorial This week we want to feature a commemoration event that took place recently in Wallingford Connecticut -- the event honored the centennial of the combat death of French American pilot Raoul Lufbery, the 8th pilot to join the Lafayette Escadrille. Lufbery went on to command the 94th Aero Squadron when the Escadrille was disbanded in 1918, and was an Ace three times over. He was killed in an aerial dogfight over Maron, France 100 years ago this week on May 19, 1918 -- Here to tell us about his life and the commemoration in Connecticut is his great-nephew, Raoul Lufbery III. Raoul, welcome to the podcast! [greetings/welcome] Raoul, what a wonderful namesake you carry - Raoul Lufbery was quite a colorful character -- please tell us about your great-uncle -- - what’s his story? The commemoration took place in Wallingford, Connecticut -- how was it? why was it held there? what did it include? Raoul, you’ve worked on compiling and editing a couple of photo albums about your great uncle -- can you tell us about them? Raoul - Thank you for joining us! [goodbye/thanks] Raoul Lufbery III is the great-nephew of WW1 Ace and Lafayette Escadrille member Major Raoul Lufbery. Learn more about the recent commemoration of his life, and about his service in the war, by following the links in the notes. links:https://connecticuthistory.org/world-war-i-flying-ace-raoul-lufbery/ https://www.nationalaviation.org/our-enshrinees/lufbery-gervais-raoul/ http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/usa/lufbery.php International Report Centenary News This week in our International Report -- we’re going back across the pond as we’re joined by the creators of a wonderful web site “Centenary News”. it’s a super centralized resource for all things WW1 -- filled with news, articles, events listings, book reviews and more -- Joining us to tell us more are Peter Alhadeff (AL-adeff) , Editor for Centenary News, and Patrick Gregory, former BBC news editor, contributor to Centenary News and co-editor & author of the book ‘An American on the Western Front’. Gentlemen - thank you so much for joining us! [welcome/greetings] Let me start by saying that your site is really wonderful. It very broad in perspective and a wonderful resource - especially for our listeners. Peter, how did Centenary News start? Who is behind it? As kindred public history projects - and with WWI being and epic and vast story - how do YOU manage your editorial calendar and choices for what you publish and what you don’t? What are your most popular articles and stories? Patrick-- you’re interest, and expertise, is focused on the American experience of the war. How did you come to that topic of interest -- and has there been a tendency to neglect or downplay the role America played in WW1 from the European point of view? The Armistice is coming up in November, Versaille the following June - what are Centenary News plans for coverage as the fighting stops? I really want to encourage our listeners to stop by your site at www.centenarynews.com. If you listen to this podcast - you’ll like the site. Gentlemen - Thank you so much for joining us today! [thanks/goodbyes] Peter Alhadeff (AL-adeff) is the Editor for the Centenary News web site, and Patrick Gregory is a former BBC news editor, contributor to Centenary News Visit the site at www.centenarynews.com or by following the links in the podcast notes. Link:http://www.centenarynews.com/ Speaking WW1 Welcome to our weekly feature “Speaking World War 1” -- Where we explore the words & phrases that are rooted in the war --- If you can face chaos, uncertainty and drama without succumbing to panic or anxiety -- you might be described as unflappable -- marked by assurance and self-control. Though unflappable doesn’t enter the English lexicon until the 1950s, it is derived from a WWI era phrase, “to be in a flap”. Usually defined as “to be worried”, the phrase “to be in a flap” has its origins in the Royal Navy around 1916. Taken from the frantic flapping birds would perform as they attempted to fly, the phrase spread among the ground troops as well. And there was a lot to be in a flap about during the war -- constant artillery barrages, snipers taking shots round the clock, poor food and living conditions -- the phrase probably got a lot of use in the trenches. “To be in a flap” and Unflappable - this week’s phrases for speaking WW1. There are links for you in the podcast notes. Links: http://mentalfloss.com/article/58233/21-slang-terms-world-war-i http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4tN7cVtY2VY2sbGtX6z9Df3/12-words-from-100-years-ago-we-love-to-use-today [SOUND EFFECT] Articles and Posts For Articles and posts -- here are some of the highlights from our weekly Dispatch newsletter. [DING] Headline: Lost and found World War I medal returned to veteran's family in NJ This is an update on the recently found WW1 medal in New Jersey -- it’s original owner’s family has been found and the medal has been returned! [DING] Headline: Maryland World War I Chapel Keeping Faith in Troubled Times Read about a local community commemorative event in Odenton, Maryland -- On June 3, 2018 the public is invited to an outdoor concert and dedication of a WWI Centennial Monument at Epiphany Chapel & Church House in Odenton, MD. In 1918 the Chapel was a home-away-from-home for soldiers and included “reinforcements to the Chaplains of the colored regiments.” [DING] Headline: Annual 'In Flanders Fields' Memorial Commemorative Event in New York City For a major metro event, read about the upcoming commemoration in New York City. General Delegate of the Government of Flanders to the United States will be hosting the Annual In 'Flanders Fields' Memorial event on May 24, 10am, featuring the East Coast Doughboys Honor Guard. [DING] Headline: Harriett Louise Carfrae - our featured Story of Service Read about Harriett Louise Cafrae, a nurse who served in World War 1 with the Red Cross. [DING] Finally, our selection from our Official online Centennial Merchandise store - this week, it’s our U.S. Army “Doughboy” Window Decal -- An easy and inexpensive way to let the world know that it’s the centennial of WWI! Featuring the iconic Doughboy silhouette flanked by barbed wire so prevalent during WWI, you can proudly display this poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by U.S. soldiers. Hey, it’s only 4 bucks and a great add on item when you’re getting other merchandise! And those are some of the headlines this week from the Dispatch Newsletter Subscribe by going to ww1cc.org/subscribe or follow the links in the podcast notes Link: http://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/communicate/2015-12-28-18-26-00/subscribe.html http://www.ww1cc.org/dispatch The Buzz And that brings us to the buzz - the centennial of WW1 this week in social media with Katherine Akey - Katherine, what did you pick? Mothers Day and the Harlem Hellfighters Hi Theo -- Last weekend was Mother’s Day -- a holiday dear to doughboys in europe a hundred years ago as much as it is to us today. This week we shared an article from historian and WW1 Centennial Commission Historical Advisor Mitchell Yockelson published in the New York Times. The article entitled “Dear Mom, the War’s Going Great” surveys Mother’s Day correspondances during war time, from General Pershing down to the humblest of doughboys. The Army promoted what it called Mothers Letters, joined in a campaign by the YMCA and Red Cross. Read the article at the link in the podcast notes. Finally -- this week was the centennial of a harrowing incident that helped establish the reputation of the Harlem Hellfighters. On the night of May 15, 1918, Pvt. Henry Johnson and Needham Roberts, members of the all-black 369th Infantry Regiment, found themselves fighting for their lives against 20 German Soldiers out in front of their unit's trench line. Johnson fired the three rounds in his French-made rifle, tossed all his hand grenades and then grabbed his Army-issue bolo knife and started stabbing. Both survived the incident -- and Johnson earned himself the nickname Black Death for his ferocious stand. The question of whether the African American unit would fight as well as any other was answered by his actions in the darkness of May 15th. Read more about the intense engagement, and the Hellfighters’ subsequent struggles upon returning to civilian life, by following the link in the podcast notes. That’s it for this week in the Buzz. Link:https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/12/opinion/sunday/dear-mom-the-wars-going-great.html https://www.army.mil/article/204920/ny_national_guardsman_henry_johnson_fought_for_his_life_with_a_knife_on_may_15_1918 Outro And that wraps up this week in May for WW1 Centennial News. Thank you for listening. We also want to thank our guests... Mike Shuster, Curator for the great war project blog Dr. Edward Lengel, Military historian and author Todd Woofenden, editor of The Subchaser Archives website and author of the book Hunters of the Steel Sharks: The Submarine Chasers of WWI. Tanveer Kalo, graduating Ronald E. McNair Scholar from St. Lawrence University and a former WW1 Centennial Commission Intern Raoul Lufbery III, great-nephew of WW1 Ace Major Raoul Lufbery Peter Alhadeff (AL-adeff) and Patrick Gregory join us from the website Centenary News Katherine Akey, WWI Photography specialist and line producer for the podcast Many thanks to Mac Nelsen our sound editor and to Eric Marr for his great input and research assistance... A small retraction from last week.. We mistakenly referred to the co-founder of the Boy Scouts of America as Ernest Thomas Seton [see-ton] rather than Ernest Thompson Seton [see-ton] And I am neither Thomas, nor Thompson - I am Theo- Theo Mayer - your host. The US World War One Centennial Commission was created by Congress to honor, commemorate and educate about WW1. Our programs are to-- inspire a national conversation and awareness about WW1; Including this podcast! We are bringing the lessons of the 100 years ago into today's classrooms; We are helping to restore WW1 memorials in communities of all sizes across our country; and of course we are building America’s National WW1 Memorial in Washington DC. We want to thank commission’s founding sponsor the Pritzker Military Museum and Library as well as the Starr foundation for their support. The podcast can be found on our website at ww1cc.org/cn - now with our new interactive transcript feature for students, teachers and sharing. Just a note to listeners, the transcript publishes about 2 days after the show. You can also access the WW1 Centennial News podcast on iTunes, Google Play, TuneIn, Podbean, Stitcher - Radio on Demand, Spotify, using your smart speaker.. By saying “Play W W One Centennial News Podcast” - and now also available on Youtube - just search for our WW1 Centennial youtube channel. Our twitter and instagram handles are both @ww1cc and we are on facebook @ww1centennial. Thank you for joining us. And don’t forget to share the stories you are hearing here today about the war that changed the world! [music] So long!
Join me, your host Amy Walker, as I delve into stories from across history with a guest who has no idea what the topic is going to be. This week I'm joined by Han Burch to talk about the Harlem Hellfighters, an all black regiment of American soldiers that served in World War One. Patreon: … Continue reading Episode 12 – The Harlem Hellfighters →
Listen in for December 9th’s show of Grit and Grace! The Northeast Houston Unit of Hellfighters joins the ladies to share about the motorcycle ministry and people they look to help each year! Please check [...]
Today we're talking about the classic american road trip! We went through and picked a bunch of our favorite spots west (and a few east) of the Mississippi. There's millions of places to cover so we decide to only cover a few of our choices. We tell personal stories of things we did for fun and great memories of great to mediocre locations. Anyone remember South of the Border? Hear the tale of Dallas and his mom befriend the restaurant owner of a small mexican restaurant in the middle of nowhere. Experience Conner's diarhea fiasco on a water slide. Remember the great memories of your own road trips! A shout out to the Roadtrip Nation on Twitter for helping us out this week! God bless the Hellfighters. Link to the google map of our roadtrip locations!
lonesome journeys See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Jazz made its path abroad in 1918 during the “Great War” when one black officer, Lt. James Reese Europe, volunteered for service with members of his Harlem Society Orchestra, forming the 369th Regimental Band. Because the U.S. Army did not allow black soldiers to fight alongside white comrades, the soldiers instead fought with the French and earned the moniker “Hellfighters,” along with the Croix de Guerre for their heroism. The Harlem Hellfighters also brought jazz with them, and from Paris the music spread around the globe, becoming the rhythm of the 20th century. The 19th Annual Lytle Benefit Concert pays homage to the Harlem Hellfighters' enduring legacy and raises scholarship funds for promising students attending the Preuss School at UC San Diego. Series: "Rebecca Lytle Memorial Concerts" [Arts and Music] [Show ID: 29489]
Welcome back to robinlofton.com for Part II of the African Americans in the Military wiki history podcast! In Part I, we examined the strong presence of African Americans in every U.S. war since the American Revolution. We also looked at problems of segregation, racial bias, and unequal treatment of Blacks in the military. And I mentioned that this these podcasts are dedicated to Nabvets, which is the National Association of Black Veterans, for their great contribution to improving the lives of Black veterans and their families. Thanks to your help (listening to this podcast series), I have been able to make a good contribution to this organization. But I want to donate more so keep listening because it’s about to get even more interesting. At the end of this podcast, you will learn how to contribute to this organization. In this podcast, we will discuss African Americans who have distinguished themselves in the armed forces. There are regiments that have served the U.S. with honor and distinction. I have to begin with an apology that I cannot list or discuss every one of them—there are just too many!—but I hope that you will be inspired by the great achievements that you will hear about today. Remember those 3 important words from Part I? Courage, Determination, Honor. These heroes today showed all these qualities and have raised the bar to give us something to strive for. We will begin with the Harlem Hellfighters. Is that name familiar? Hopefully, it will be one day because these men have earned the right to be known, remembered, and written into our history books! The Harlem Hellfighters were an African American regiment (remember the regiments used to be segregated) who fought in World War I. They were one of the few African American combat units (remember again that most Blacks were relegated to service or general labor duties). The Harlem Hellfighters were originally called the 15th New York Colored Regiment. Later, they were called the 369th Infantry unit. So, what did they do? The Harlem Hellfighters were the longest serving and most decorated unit in World War I. They spent 191 days under enemy fire. Now, that’s courage under fire to an extreme! They are also credited with numerous courageous acts on the battlefield. What about the name “Harlem Hellfighters”? Former commander, Colonel Reginald Sanders explains: "We did not give ourselves our name [the Harlem Hellfighters]. Our enemies gave us our name, [which] is an honor." The Hellfighters were actually given two different names from the Europeans. The French called them Men of Bronze out of respect. In fact, the French government gave the regiment the prestigious “croix de Guerre” award in 1918. But it was the Germans who gave them the name of “Hellfighters” out of fear for their acts in combat. That’s not surprising since the Hellfighters were cited 11 times for bravery under fire. While the Europeans showed lots of respect for the Harlem Hellfighters, they didn’t get the same respect back at home. The French gave them the opportunity to fight though it was denied to them by the American army, which had them unloading ships and working as waiters. They had also received their training in South Carolina where they were confronted with racism and race-motivated violence. There were numerous standoffs between the Hellfighters and the white residents who resented the increased presence of Blacks in their town. And, following the end of the war, the Hellfighters returned home to what was called the Red Summer of 1919, which was the worst racial violence in U.S. history and saw a nation racial frenzy of riots, massacres, and lynchings throughout the North and South, all were started by whites who were angry about Blacks serving in the military and getting better jobs while whites were away at war. No, that was definitely not the welcome that the Hellfighters deserved after serving their country so courageously. Martin Miller, who was 16 when he joined the Harlem Hellfighters, recalled arriving in Europe and beginning the fight: “That day, the sun was shining, and we were marching. And the band was playing," Miller told an interviewer for the 1977 documentary Men of Bronze. "Everybody's head [was] high, and we were all proud to be Americans, proud to be black, and proud to be in the 15th New York Infantry." They made us proud! Moving on to another African American regiment that made history and served with honor and distinction. And made us proud, too. The Buffalo Soldiers The name might be familiar from the iconic Bob Marley song. But how much do we know about the Buffalo soldiers? Well, now’s the time to learn a bit more. The Buffalo soldiers were formed in 1866 by an act of Congress. They were actually a group of units: 6 army units, 2 cavalry (the famous 9th & 10th cavalries) and 4 infantry units. They were charged with protecting the settlers that moved to the western states and supporting westward expansion by building infrastructure for the settlers and government. They rebuilt towns, escorted wagon trains and stagecoaches through hostile territory, and fought in the Spanish-American war and both World Wars. However, in the U.S., the Buffalo soldiers could serve only west of the Mississippi River because of prevailing and persistent attitudes about Blacks following the American Civil War. But they had a very strong presence everywhere that they served. How did the Buffalo soldiers get their name? Great question. There are a few theories that I’ll mention but you will have to decide for yourself. And, by the way, I would love to hear your theory so send me a note/message on robinlofton.com. 1. The soldiers’ curly hair reminded the Native Americans of buffalo fur. 2. The soldiers’ fierce and brave nature and tenacity as fighters reminded the Native Americans of how buffalos fought. 3. The soldiers’ wore thick mats in the winter made of buffalo hides. The Buffalo soldiers units were formed during the Indian wars. This was actually a series of around 40 conflicts that decimated the Native American population. There were massacres, destruction of food sources, poisoning of fresh water wells, germ warfare, and large-scale removals. More than 45,000 Native Americans were killed. Were the Buffalo soldiers involved in this reprehensible behavior? While they did their duties as U.S. soldiers (such as engaging in battle against the Cherokees), there is no record of the Buffalo soldiers engaging in that type of genocidal behavior. In fact, the Buffalo soldiers had a good relationship with many native American tribes, perhaps from a shared understanding and experiences, based on the racial situation at the time. If you have heard differently, send me a message at robinlofton.com—truth in history is my objective always. The Buffalo soldiers also faced racism. Reportsshow that these soldiers were frequently subjected to the harshest of discipline, racist officers, race-motivated violence from the European colonists, and poor food, equipment and shelter. White regiments were supplied with silk-embroidered banners but the Buffalo soldiers clothing had to be homemade (remember the buffalo hide theory?) and was tattered and worn. In spite of this treatment and their deprivations, the morale of these soldiers remained high and their commitment was strong. The Buffalo soldiers had the lowest desertion rate in the army, though their army posts were often in the worst areas in the west. Some white commanding officers were proud to lead these men and publicly expressed these feelings. But I have to add that this was not the norm. Most white officers didn’t want to command the black soldiers. The famous Colonel Custer, for example, accepted a lower rank rather than lead an African American unit. In the end, 20 black soldiers received the Medal of Honor, the highest award this country gives for the most outstanding performance under enemy fire. The last Buffalo soldiers regiments (the 27th and 28th cavalry units) were disbanded in 1951. Great work, guys! You make us proud. Frederick Douglass said that once let the black man get upon his person the brass letter, U.S., let him get an eagle on his button, and a musket on his shoulder and bullets in his pocket, there is no power on earth that can deny that he has earned the right to citizenship." Frederick Douglass Oh, I wish that we had more time but we are keeping it wiki (meaning quick in the Hawaiian language) so we have to move on to discuss other heroes who have also made us proud. And there have not only been men who have made us proud—and who were deserving of citizenship and all the rights that it affords. Women were and are doing their part, too. African American women have participated in every war since the Revolutionary War, despite the dual problems of race and gender discrimination. There were only a few Black women regiments because women were not allowed to officially join the army until the early-20th century. But women did participate in several different roles, one might really surprise you. Women worked as nurses, postal clerks, stenographers, switchboard operators, and typists. They also served as scouts and spies. One famous spy (during the Civil War) was Harriet Tubman (is that name familiar?). She was so impressive and effective that the soldiers called her General Tubman! One woman actually served as a Buffalo soldier in the Indian conflicts. After being freed from a Missouri plantation, Cathay Williams served a support role during the Civil War. The following year (in 1866), she changed her name from Cathay Williams to William Cathay and registered for the Buffalo soldiers where she served for more than two years! She was eventually discovered and forced to leave, but she had served as an important member of one of the elite infantry units as a woman disguised as a man! That’s dedication, commitment, and ingenuity! In the Spanish-American War, Black women served as nurses and in other support roles. During the height of the yellow fever epidemic, at least 30 so-called Black “immunes” (women who had suffered but survived yellow fever) were recruited as nurses to care for people suffering from the deadly disease. Other nurses were told that they couldn’t catch it because black skin is thicker and therefore protected African Americans from getting the disease. Of course, this was not true and many Black nurses were exposed to and died from yellow fever. At the outset of World War I, many trained black nurses enrolled in the American Red Cross hoping to gain entry into the Army or Navy Nurse Corps. As the war escalated, public pressure increased to enlist black women. Finally, shortly after the Armistice, 18 black Red Cross nurses were offered Army Nurse Corps assignments. Assigned to Camp Grant, Illinois, and Camp Sherman, Ohio, they lived in segregated quarters and cared for German prisoners of war and black soldiers. One of these pioneering women, Aileen Cole Stewart, later wrote,The Story of the Negro nurse in World War I is not spectacular. We arrived after the Armistice was signed, which alone was anticlimactic. So we had no opportunity for "service above and beyond the call of duty;" But each one of us...did contribute quietly and with dignity to the idea that justice demands professional equality for all qualified nurses.6 World War II would spawn the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) and Major Charity Adams, its first black officer. She commanded the first all-black female unit, the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. Film-maker Frank Martin who made a documentary about the battalion noted that “Every single piece of mail that went to Europe passed through this postal battalion. Major Adams and her 855-member unit would spend the last year of the war clearing enormous backlogs of mail, first in England and then in France. By the way, this is a fascinating documentary called “For the Love of Liberty: The Story of America’s Black Patriots.” I will give you more information about that documentary in the next podcast. I think that you’ll absolutely love it. When President Truman opened the army in 1948, more than 2,000 African American women enrolled in the Cadet Nurse Corps. But the Women’s Army Corps was where most Black women served the war effort, starting in World War II. Many Black women returned to the corps during the Korean and Vietnam wars, serving in nursing and supportive roles because of the ban on women in combative positions. What about today? Starting from the 1990s, things were very different for Black women in the armed forces. Black women are now well represented in today’s military. In Desert Storm, 40 percent of the 35,000 women active operations were African-American. That amounts to 14,000 Black women! And women are in active combat. Black women make up 30 percent of the military. 13 percent of officers are Black women. The military is indeed changing. Yet we should not forget that it has been a long and difficult road for Black women who have chosen a life in the armed forces. And much is still new: it was just in 2013 that the Pentagon lifted its ban on women in front-line combat roles. There is still much work to be done. I would like to end conclude this section with a quote from Commander Charity Adams Earley, who you might remember led the first African American women’s battalion in World War II. She recently said: The future of women in the military seems assured.... What may be lost in time is the story of how it happened. The barriers of sex and race were, and sometimes still are, very difficult to overcome, the second even more than the first. During World War II women in the service were often subject to ridicule and disrespect even as they performed satisfactorily.... Each year the number of people who shared the stress of these accomplishments lessens. In another generation young black women who join the military will have scant record of their predecessors who fought on the two fronts of discrimination—segregation and reluctant acceptance by males.8 But we won’t forget. Ever. And I hope that these podcasts help you to remember them and their contributions. So, that’s all for today. This wiki lecture can’t cover everything about blacks in the military or everyone who served like Dorie Miller, a cook in the Navy who distinguished himself during the attack on Pearl Harbor or the Tuskegee Airmen, the Red Tails who served so courageously in World War II or Sojourner Truth who was a nurse during the civil war or now retired General Colin Powell who has had a long a distinguished career as National Security Advisor, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Commander of the Army Forces, and Secretary of State. And there are so many more. But we are keeping it wiki here. And I might add that there is one more part to this interesting lecture series. Part III discusses films about Blacks in the Military. Some of these films are older, others were made more recently. But they definitely bring the Black experience in the military to life. And it gives us a chance to discuss other Black heroes and feel inspired by their stories. Honor. Courage. Determination. You will see how they lived these principles and how important they are to everyone. Please don’t forget that November is the month to remember and honor our veterans. The National Association of Black Veterans works all year long to support and assist black veterans. That’s why I’m giving $1 to the Nabvets for every person that listens to this podcast this month. They have a great website at www.nabvets.org. It’s my honor to show support for them—like they have shown support for our veterans over the years. And shown us honor, courage, and determination. I hope that you have enjoyed this podcast at robinlofton.com. Please leave your comments, questions, and thoughts. I love to hear from my listeners or anyone who is interested in African American history. See you next time to review movies about Blacks in the military at robinlofton.com. And a big salute to Jon Knox for making that great music—I just wanted to get up and march! Hug and veteran today and I’ll see you soon at robinlofton.com.
"The Harlem Hellfighters" was the nickname of the 369th Infantry Regiment, a regiment made up entirely of African-American and African Puerto Rican soldiers. Most of the men came from Harlem, San Juan Hill (around Fifty-ninth Street in Manhattan), and the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. They were the most famous black unit in World War I and also saw action in World War II. Kate and Kathleen tell you all about segregation within the military, difficulties that black soldiers endured while getting basic training in the American South, and the shocking response of France to this talented regiment. Despite enduring FAR more challenges that those faced by a white soldier, the Hellfighters were extraordinary soldiers. They're unusual for having never lost a soldier through capture, and they never lost a foot of ground or a single trench to the enemy. Learn why the the 369th Regiment Band was world famous, and hear about the particularly amazing accomplishments of Pvt. Henry Lincoln "Black Death" Johnson and Pvt. Needham Roberts in Episode H of ABC Gotham.Learn more about Pvt Henry Lincoln Johnson here.Read Henry Louis Gates, Jr.'s great piece on the Harlem Hellfighters on The Root.Max Brooks discusses his graphic novel "The Harlem Hellfighters" on NPR's All Things Considered.And don't forget to look for more pictures on our Facebook page!
There is no better description of poet Makalani Bandele‘s debut book Hellfightin’ (Willow Books, 2012) than the one found on his comprehensive website: “Derived from the nickname the French Army gave the all-Black 369th Infantry Regiment in World War I, the Hellfighters . . . is a tour de force of lyricism, mysticism, jive philosophy, and discursive narrative as blues lick. The title of the book, Hellfightin‘, as a term is best understood in the context of the critical framework of the Blues …” Bandele’s Hellfightin‘, then, is a poetic education in the African American musical, cultural and historical traditions, and one of the latest installments from the famous creative ensemble known as the Affrilachian Poets. Bandele couldn’t be among better company than those poets who seek to bring attention to the black literary tradition within the Appalachian territories. Hellfightin‘ does all that and more. Listen to how Bandele tells us how. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
There is no better description of poet Makalani Bandele‘s debut book Hellfightin’ (Willow Books, 2012) than the one found on his comprehensive website: “Derived from the nickname the French Army gave the all-Black 369th Infantry Regiment in World War I, the Hellfighters . . . is a tour de force of lyricism, mysticism, jive philosophy, and discursive narrative as blues lick. The title of the book, Hellfightin‘, as a term is best understood in the context of the critical framework of the Blues …” Bandele’s Hellfightin‘, then, is a poetic education in the African American musical, cultural and historical traditions, and one of the latest installments from the famous creative ensemble known as the Affrilachian Poets. Bandele couldn’t be among better company than those poets who seek to bring attention to the black literary tradition within the Appalachian territories. Hellfightin‘ does all that and more. Listen to how Bandele tells us how. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices