Imagine having the title "The Black Death of the Harlem Hellfighters" and then coming back to be called "boy" and worse. What a legend. What a tragedy.
I suspect the French Foreign Legions tradition of long accepting foreigners serving and dying for France had a part in this. After all why not recognize the African-Americans efforts for France? Their just another foreigner fighting for France. Their valor is the same as any other foreign born soldier.
Yes I completely agree America was very racist I’m Hispanic btw but isn’t making the Harlem hell fighters dig trenches better than making them run across no mans land so they don’t have to die
You left out one of the best stories about the Hell Fighters. After the war, one of the Hell Fighters( I believe it was Pvt. Daniel W. Storms Jr., but I'm not sure) was requested by name to meet the French President. The US gov was thrown into a panic for not having any idea who or where one of the most decorated soldiers from the regiment was. Eventually, they found the building he worked at and the President of France just hung out with him in his elevator for a while.
This could be a good idea for a movie. But sadly hollywood is sometimes scared to use plots where USA is the villain, they use now reboots, remakes and sequels.
@@sanhcman666 I’d rather it stay that way, the alternative is the movie either flopping or doing well Doing bad means director is a brave idiot Doing well meaning that more people will make over the top evil usa
@@APersonOnTH-camX In truth gringoland is the evil. Condor operation, monroe doctrine, afghanistan, vietnam and many many more things, proves that USA is not an american nation, just a worthy son of europe, more specifically from perfidious albion, aka UK
Same for the UK, racist started back up here in the late 40's and early 50s due to the Government importing foreign labour to help rebuild the cities bombed during the war, while tens/hundreds of thousands of ex service men came back to no job, and those that did took it from a woman who had been working it in the meantime, who subsequently lost her job leading to a big movement in the 60's and 70s for womens rights
@@Ironborn4 "Talking about how she felt about track itself, she revealed: "I didn’t even want it on the record. “And I remember a lot of people going, ‘Please please, please.’ So I said, OK. That was one of the first songs we wrote, almost like a demo to get our whistles wet. "But people wound up really liking the melody, and I wasn’t that precious about it. And I came to realise later that perhaps I should have been..."" It's easy to judge, but empathy is taking the time to understand why something might be flawed rather than judging it.
@@internetperson3436 they don't know their history at all and are totally into the southern myth that been bs for year and they don't even wave the real confederate flag instead the KKK flag as i like to call it
I remember when Angry Cops brought up the Harlem Hell Fighters when he decided to tear a new one into DeBlasio for saying the National Guard isn't military.
They were the ones who shud have been most respected but no one cares about wath you diserve or wath you done, people care only about their stupid misconceptions
Digging is important. The armies of Europe in this period see soldiers as a source of labour as well. The army staffs of Germany are building railroads and the large armies maintain their own butchers, bakeries etc. It's a large amount of people you can order around, and using them as labour reserve isn't unusual.
America: nooo you can’t treat them like equals and ward them France: SOLDIER IS SOLDIER Edit: yes I know the French government would still be racist especially against it’s colonies.
That is really sad to hear, here in Poland he is traeted like a hero as he was the one that forced Allies to grant Poland access to the Baltic sea in the treaty of Versallies.
Being french, I can only feel a mix of pride for how my countrymen treated these fellow soldiers as equals, respect for these soldiers who came to help when we needed them (not to mention how efficient they were), and compassion for how harshly the USA treated them.
Extra history , with your quality of production and excellent storytelling and research you really deserve your own netflix series. I really love your videos! Love from South-Africa
Ah the NY Army National Guard, my state is filled with history. Hellfighters is a fitting name. Glad you finally talked about them. And now that you mention Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, I'd love to see something about him
Thomas Alexandre Dumas was the son of a French nobleman and a Haitian maid. Despite being offiacially recognized by his father, he sided with the revolutionaries and, later, with Napoleon. Apparently, he was insanely popular with troops, up to the point that other high ranking officiers started to resent him and conspired to get rid of him. He was falsely accused and sentenced to life. Later his son, one Alexandre Dumas, wrote a book inspired by this story, The Count of Montecristo.
There is an excellent book called The Black Count, by Tom Reiss, about Thomas-Alexandre Dumas that I heartily recommend. But, yes, an Extra History special on him would be fantastic.
You know, I think it’s a truly exceptional mark of patriotism and valor when you’re this willing to fight this goddamn hard for a country that treats you like you’re subhuman. These men are absolute heroes, and every one of them deserves to be talked about in schools and history classes as their own lesson. 10/10 outstanding human beings.
Unlike so many other history channels, briefly stopping on one point, or simply covering the same topic constantly, Extra History actually cares about the history. And not just that, they show even more by helping organizations that deserve your time. Even more than that, they do what few other channels do, making it fun to learn the topic with amazing visual graphics, but also taking a step back from the funny to cover what needs to be seriously as such.
Hear the toll of the bell Over 6 months in hell Out of the trenches they came As the war rages on At the edge of the Argonne Hellfighters earning their name
As a Canadien, as a man of French Blood, and as a man who lost family members in the French Army at Champagne in 1915, and at Verdun, I offer a portion of my thanks to the Hellfighters and their descendants for helping to defend France. The suffering of people both past and present wounds my heart, and i hope that within my lifetime we can put aside our differences and find true peace, however unlikely that is.
@@FreakishSmilePA Le Français n'est pas mort, mais bien en train de se faire assassiner par l'influence de l'anglosphère. Si les francophones ne s'éveillent pas face a ce fait et continuent de se laisser exterminer, notre langue mourra.
Something I will always be grateful for when watching history channels like this is that I learn of people or groups I might otherwise never have heard about. My hat's off to you, EH 😊
It's often a common misconception that after the civil war the US was " the least racist country" This is not true many European countries had more respect for Harlem hellfighters than the US . On a side note I would love a series or video about the Napoleonic wars
@@moiseman You have no idea how many people I've met in school and on the internet that thought the French were more racist than the United States during the 19th and 20th century
Once again, since the song has been released, I have but one thing to say: "Hear the toll of the bell Kept fighting for six months in Hell As the war rages on They fight at the edge of the Argonne"
@@dimitrijejovanovic5939 As the armistice is drawing closer The 369th They kept on fighting till it was over And they were the first to reach the Rhine!
The difference is that people who treat blacks like this today can and frequently do get in serious trouble for it. Back then, nothing happened. Cleaning up a culture is a long, slow process, but that process is underway.
Yeah, the Hell Fighters were a real problem to the Germans. Allegedly the Hell Fighters never gave up any land or lost anyone to the Germans, and were as ferocious as you described, so the Germans really feared the Hell Fighters, but I recall the rest were taken POW when they had nothing to fight with. So, technically they gave up land, but not before there was no way they could fight.
@@evryatis9231 The land changed hands and went back and forth constantly. Succesful attacks were made almost daily, enemy lines breached.... Often even second lines, or even third, but fourth and fifth lines only rarely, and if they did get that far, the forces were too spent and scattered to continue the attack. Taking a hundred meters of ground wont change the war, taking a hundred kilometers wont change the war.
@@TheBarser That's not how trench warfare worked. You knew through raids and prisoner captures which units were opposing you. each army would send out a few men every night to kidnap enemy soldiers and interrogate them. Even if they never captured any 369th men they'd know from French captives that they were there. The ambush Johnson and Roberts fell into in the Argonne was probably a raid sent to test their unit and learn more about them. Common enough throughout the era of the Western Front deadlock where units tended to stay in place for months and getting accurate info of the unit opposite you, its tendencies, leadership and habits, could yield opportunities during the next offensive.
Now we need something on the 442 Regimental Combat Team from WW2, the most decorated unit for its size and length of service. And it was made of Japanese-Americans who volunteered from internment camps.
"Hear the toll of the bell Kept fighting for six months in hell As the war rages on They fight at the edge of the Argonne Hear the toll of the bell, over six months in hell Out of the trenches they came As the war rages on, at the edge of the Argonne Hellfighters earning their name"
@@zealousdoggo the demobilization let entire regiments just sort out how they were getting home on their own, besides what's America going to do it's not like president windrow wilson wasn't a racist at the time, not to mention some of them choose to remain in France afterward.
Hey guys! Ik this is kinda late, but there’s a song that came out recently. If you like rock/metal you’ll love sabaton’s Hellfighters song that states the bravery and determination that these soldiers faced. RIP to all the Harlem Hellfighters.
Fun fact about Benjamin O. Davis: As he became the first black man to reach the rank of General in the Army, his son Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. became the first black General in the Air Force. These achievements must run in the family. For Sgt. Johnson, if there isn't a film about him being made or already made, there should be. I only learned about him and the Harlem Hellfighters through The Great War (awesome channel btw) and Battlefield 1 (iffy history, but the first bit does its job sort of) and I wish more people knew about the 369th Infantry Regiment.
Bruh was talking literal sh*t and I remembered why I love these videos Thank you for consistently showing history that the other history channels ignore...
I'm so glad extra history did a segment on the Harlem Hellfighters! As you can tell from my profile pic they were one of my favorite examples of African American Patriotism and Heroism. I participated in National History Day at my Highschool and my project titled "A Forgotten History" came in 5th place at the state competition. God bless every last one of them.
“FROM A LAND ACROSS THE OCEAN, TO THE WESTERN FRONT WHERE THEY SERVED, FOUGHT WITH COURAGE AND DEVOTION, PRECONCEPTIONS TURNED! AS THE SPRING OFFENSIVE KEPT CHURNING, WHERE THE MEN WOULD EARN THEIR NAME, SEE THE TIDES OF BATTLE TURNING, AND THEIR FOES IGNITE THEIR FLAME!”
I've been waiting so long for them to finally talk about these amazing men!! More people need to know about the Harlem Hellfighters and they need better recognition
The story of Leroy Johnston (who finally received the Purple Heart in 2018) and the Elaine Massacre should be taught in all high school U.S. History courses. You can’t tackle the problems we face today if you don’t understand how we got here.
Just this most recent Saturday I finally found a Plumb knife made in Philadelphia in 1917 a knife much like the bolo but man would I kill for an originally bolo of the war.
I want to cry I'm so frustrated with what they went through. This is what people mean when they say that things generational. There are families to this day that are struggling because their ancestors did not get their awards and money for their service. So that means that their children and their children's children had a later start, they didn't have that inherited wealth to give down, no house is the pass down, no jewelry, you were starting from scratch every generation. And then you have families that are prosperous today, because their ancestors were very wealthy and they were able to pass that down and maintain it.
God I started crying at the end. I love history and learning all I can and I’ve never even heard about the Hell Fighters in my America educational upbringing. Thank you so much for this!
When I fought in Vietnam, I also received a Vietnamese medal. I was told that as an American soldier, I was only eligible for a Vietnamese medal which was also awarded to Vietnamese soldiers. The implication was that they couldn't make up medals for us.
As someone who has family and friends who served in the military, I humbly thank everyone past and present who served our country proudly. You’re the reason we are still free to enjoy life we want to and it’s a debt we can never repay.
Thank you Extra Credits for producing videos on black lives, when other channels shy away from them. Our stories and sacrifices deserve to be told. It's heartbreaking knowing we fought and died for the same people who called us "n-----", only to be welcomed back to the same hate and racial discrimination. All Lives are supposed to Matter, but it can't matter until Black Lives Matter.
Wednesday September 9th 2020, I watched something. This. A true and proper testament to the pain and under appreciation that brave men and women of colour face when in the military. And In all branches of life in fact. These videos help to bolster our knowledge, to help and pave a new and better path for tomorrow, without the mistakes of yesteryear. Even today. This is why I support extra history.
And here I thought I was gonna hear some Dutch history I didn't know about... (I'm from Harlem netherlands) Though given American politics right now this is certainly important.
People who fought with honor and valor FOR their country should be treated with honor IN their country! This stupidity called racism needs to stop, NOW! Do what you can to be part of that change. We need to be better with each other.
I wish I could understand racists from their point of view. How do you see men, who went to war for your country, who lost countless friends for your country, who lost their souls for your country, and judge them based on their race?
Fun fact: American WW1 commander John Pershing received the nickname "Black Jack" after he commanded black soldiers in the Spanish-American war, rather than take offense to the name John embraced it, saying he was proud to command such effective soldiers
Imagine watching your friends die for this country, just to be murdered by the people you were protecting… We have to be better My heart hurts for you fallen brother
I first found out about the Harlem HellFighters through Max Brooks' excellent graphic novel The Harlem HellFighters. I have been fascinated by these brave soldiers ever since. Thank you for helping to spread the word.
I love Extra History for making episodes such as the Black Wall Street Massacre and Harlem Hellfighters. I appreciate them shining a light on AA achievements and events!
These men fought in a frying pan and returned to a fire. I hope to live to see the day when soldiers are treated as soldiers regardless of their differences. Race, religion, gender, sexuality, political beliefs, ideologies, these all run through us at varying depths, but none run as deep as the bond between soldiers. Where friendships are forged in fire and signed in blood, it is only honor, brother/sisterhood, and a love for ones country that run blood deep. I salute these men and the generations of soldiers that followed.
And, for those who don't know, Brazilian Expeditionary Force (FEB), was the only non segregated force to fight in both World Wars. All batalions where mixed, from troopers to officers.
The conversations in the African American community about enlisting before and after the war are fascinating, and were an important stepping stone into the Harlem Renaissance iirc. This is alongside the awful lynchings like Chicago in 1919... and yet people still refuse the confront the legacies of this racism. Great video guys!
They are being confronted. Those resisting the process of becoming better people used to be in power in both parties, now they're mostly gone from one and clinging onto relevance by their fingernail in the other.
![เปิด อาณาจักร หมื่นล้าน "สาระตั้ม" l [Nickynachat]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/3XE0nPF4YkQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Imagine having the title "The Black Death of the Harlem Hellfighters" and then coming back to be called "boy" and worse. What a legend. What a tragedy.
The tragedy of when the people trying to kill you showed you more respect than those you were fighting for
@@beeaggro2593 that is sad
All beacuse the U.S. failed to rebuild the south.
@@Demicleas to be fair many presidents did everything in their power to stop reconstruction
I mean, the civil war *was* only 60 years prior
as a french, i am glad that my country gave them medals, and respected them
I suspect the French Foreign Legions tradition of long accepting foreigners serving and dying for France had a part in this. After all why not recognize the African-Americans efforts for France? Their just another foreigner fighting for France. Their valor is the same as any other foreign born soldier.
Me too small Simon, because my country was full on asinine in their beliefs in that time....
It's a great thing, and you should be.
@@Jason-fm4my here here!
What have that to do with your nationality?
America: we got some trenches to dig
France: YOU CAME TO FIGHT GERMANS. LET'S GO FIGHT GERMANS
France: This ain't no summer camp, this is war!
Retreat? Hell we just got here!
Yes I completely agree America was very racist I’m Hispanic btw but isn’t making the Harlem hell fighters dig trenches better than making them run across no mans land so they don’t have to die
Noah Rutledge that was the Marines different group.
@@wolf8077 I know.
You left out one of the best stories about the Hell Fighters. After the war, one of the Hell Fighters( I believe it was Pvt. Daniel W. Storms Jr., but I'm not sure) was requested by name to meet the French President. The US gov was thrown into a panic for not having any idea who or where one of the most decorated soldiers from the regiment was. Eventually, they found the building he worked at and the President of France just hung out with him in his elevator for a while.
This could be a good idea for a movie.
But sadly hollywood is sometimes scared to use plots where USA is the villain, they use now reboots, remakes and sequels.
@@sanhcman666 I’d rather it stay that way, the alternative is the movie either flopping or doing well
Doing bad means director is a brave idiot
Doing well meaning that more people will make over the top evil usa
@@APersonOnTH-camX In truth gringoland is the evil.
Condor operation, monroe doctrine, afghanistan, vietnam and many many more things, proves that USA is not an american nation, just a worthy son of europe, more specifically from perfidious albion, aka UK
to love a country that doesn't love you back
Thats sad
The government only sees you as a number. Doesn't matter what race, you're a number to fill their pockets.
Not many loved America, a lot stayed in France actually
Madness or sadly they either bought that crap of manifest destiny or they couldnt choose other thing
A strong feeling, also shows who’s the bigger one
Ironically, in this case, French colonialism led to less racism.
even in the America's, the French were known to ally more with local tribes
Inside the army, at the very least.
Hey, someone used "ironically" correctly. Congrats, you're smarter than Alanis Morissette
Same for the UK, racist started back up here in the late 40's and early 50s due to the Government importing foreign labour to help rebuild the cities bombed during the war, while tens/hundreds of thousands of ex service men came back to no job, and those that did took it from a woman who had been working it in the meantime, who subsequently lost her job leading to a big movement in the 60's and 70s for womens rights
@@Ironborn4 "Talking about how she felt about track itself, she revealed: "I didn’t even want it on the record.
“And I remember a lot of people going, ‘Please please, please.’ So I said, OK. That was one of the first songs we wrote, almost like a demo to get our whistles wet.
"But people wound up really liking the melody, and I wasn’t that precious about it. And I came to realise later that perhaps I should have been...""
It's easy to judge, but empathy is taking the time to understand why something might be flawed rather than judging it.
“Don’t tread on me, God Damn, Lets Go”
Harlem Hellfighter motto.
Ironically that's the motto of the gadsen flag the tea party used
@@internetperson3436 they don't know their history at all and are totally into the southern myth that been bs for year and they don't even wave the real confederate flag instead the KKK flag as i like to call it
“Don’t tread on me” is a classic rebel motto
I remember when Angry Cops brought up the Harlem Hell Fighters when he decided to tear a new one into DeBlasio for saying the National Guard isn't military.
USS Anime DD24 "don't tread on me" has been a libertarian and independence motto since the revolutionary war.
"...is it metal to go on a rampage alone against a full squad of enemies to save your friend and receive the nickname BLACK DEATH?"
yes, yes it is
Literal description of not only the brave henry johnson but Ned Kelly as well
Just the fact that the phrase "Berzerker Rage" was used seriously in a history lesson should be indication enough of the level of Metal achieved here.
@@OGNoNameNobody And for someone who wasn't a viking!
I had a rotc instructor who had the most confirmed kills in Vietnam with an Etool. Some people are born fighters
If there isn't a Sabaton about Henry Johnson yet there definitely should be.
So sad that they were treated like garbage after sacrificing they’re life.
They were the ones who shud have been most respected but no one cares about wath you diserve or wath you done, people care only about their stupid misconceptions
*their
The atrocious spelling here gave me multiple aneurysms.
Sad ends to
seems rto happen every few wars for varring reasons
I saw “Harlem hellfighters” and immediately clicked. I have been waiting for this for so long!
It's SUCH a fascinating story
The Sacred Potat wtf why
France: “hey dudes want to fight the Germans head on?”
Harlem hell fighters: “Ya!”
America: *DIG*
Digging is important. The armies of Europe in this period see soldiers as a source of labour as well. The army staffs of Germany are building railroads and the large armies maintain their own butchers, bakeries etc. It's a large amount of people you can order around, and using them as labour reserve isn't unusual.
@@SusCalvin but other soldiers dug _and_ fought, they weren't used as slaves.
sad but true
BF1 was and still is such a good game.
@@SusCalvin That's what combat engineers are for, the Harlem Hellfighters were an infantry unit, not a combat engineering unit
“...Buried at Arlington”
The greatest insult to those who doubted their skills and commitment.
It’s the least they deserved for their service
If they fought for the US they deserve to be buried with fellow soldiers it’s at least we can do for them in the end
America: nooo you can’t treat them like equals and ward them
France: SOLDIER IS SOLDIER
Edit: yes I know the French government would still be racist especially against it’s colonies.
Well, World War I France anyhow.
The Free French treatment of the pieds-noirs and colonial troops after World War II was pretty disgraceful.
Darryl Aoki do you mean in 1944 because in the early war they still treated their man with respect
nerfvideos96 The French government itself was pretty racist
Me: Nice. Your a man of culture.
Also me: MEMES ARE MEMES
Hawker Hurricane Mainly after the war, when France decided to suspend or at least severely curtail benefits to former colonial troops.
"And become the most legendary member in the *Harlem Hellfighters*..." Gave me chills ngl
They contributed so less to war that the French foreign leagions did more then them.
@@Abhishek-sr2pu
🥱🥱
Just reminding you that Woodrow Wilson actually re segregated the government and was racist even for the time.
Woodrow Wilson was terrible in general and caused so, so many problems that still haunt the US and the rest of the world.
Altrantis He’s actually one of my least favorite presidents just for this.
Aaand the Simpsons turned him into a harmless joke
I never knew that. Huh
That is really sad to hear, here in Poland he is traeted like a hero as he was the one that forced Allies to grant Poland access to the Baltic sea in the treaty of Versallies.
Being french, I can only feel a mix of pride for how my countrymen treated these fellow soldiers as equals, respect for these soldiers who came to help when we needed them (not to mention how efficient they were), and compassion for how harshly the USA treated them.
"Where are the ennemies ?
-They Argonne."
Viguier89 stolen
Thank you
Take my like
UNDER FIRE, THERE’S NOTHING THEY CAN DO
@@mattmarino4033 ???
As a French, I can say that our former colonials, or just anyone who fights for our country, will always remain our brothers! Vive la France!
You guys don't look at what race they are, _"Humans are Humans"_
I salute you 07
@@mtf_nine_tailed_fox385
You sure about that
@@mtf_nine_tailed_fox385 that's not true.
And we never forget that Yorktown was won with French uniforms, French cannon, French Powder, French soldiers, and French Ships! Viva la France!
DOUBT
As finnish saying goes, "Ingratitude is the wage of the world."
We have that saying in Sweden too, unsurprising really given our shared history
Same in denmark: utak er verdenens løn
Same as in Germany, "Undank ist der Welt Lohn" is not only a saying but also a fairytale.
Or the English saying, "No good deed goes unpunished"
So, this saying most likely come from the someqhat shared history of our nations.
Extra history , with your quality of production and excellent storytelling and research you really deserve your own netflix series. I really love your videos!
Love from South-Africa
Awe chom howzit!🇿🇦
@@KennyDOxley kani kla ni
YES YESSSSSS
NETFLIX GIVE THEM THEY'RE OWN SERIES PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"LEROOOOOOYYYYYYYYYYY, JOHNSTONNNNNNNNNNN"
Finally! take my like
yes!!
It’s Jenkins not Johnson
Super T Ranger05 uhhh is that a joke?
Super T Ranger05 that's the joke
Ah the NY Army National Guard, my state is filled with history. Hellfighters is a fitting name. Glad you finally talked about them. And now that you mention Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, I'd love to see something about him
I'd also like to see more about Dumas.
@@ForlornDuskky they have the Haiti revolution series, so you can check him in there is not much but is something
Thomas Alexandre Dumas was the son of a French nobleman and a Haitian maid. Despite being offiacially recognized by his father, he sided with the revolutionaries and, later, with Napoleon.
Apparently, he was insanely popular with troops, up to the point that other high ranking officiers started to resent him and conspired to get rid of him. He was falsely accused and sentenced to life.
Later his son, one Alexandre Dumas, wrote a book inspired by this story, The Count of Montecristo.
Ah a fellow Cuban American~ hola donde Carolina de Sur!, appreciate your Hellfighter boys! I wouldn't mind seeing that Black French General
There is an excellent book called The Black Count, by Tom Reiss, about Thomas-Alexandre Dumas that I heartily recommend.
But, yes, an Extra History special on him would be fantastic.
My Great-Grandfather who fought, after the war Changed our name from Barnett to Barnette because of the respect the French gave him
Really? Damn. Now, that sure was one meaningful act from him.
You know, I think it’s a truly exceptional mark of patriotism and valor when you’re this willing to fight this goddamn hard for a country that treats you like you’re subhuman. These men are absolute heroes, and every one of them deserves to be talked about in schools and history classes as their own lesson. 10/10 outstanding human beings.
Unlike so many other history channels, briefly stopping on one point, or simply covering the same topic constantly, Extra History actually cares about the history. And not just that, they show even more by helping organizations that deserve your time. Even more than that, they do what few other channels do, making it fun to learn the topic with amazing visual graphics, but also taking a step back from the funny to cover what needs to be seriously as such.
Hear the toll of the bell
Over 6 months in hell
Out of the trenches they came
As the war rages on
At the edge of the Argonne
Hellfighters earning their name
Sabaton
They would have no prisoners taken
And they never lost any ground
Earned the cross of war unshaken, never turned around.
As the armistice draws closer, the 369th
kept on fighting 'till it was over, and they were first to reach the Rhine
Don't Tread On Me, God Damn, Lets Go
- Harlem Hell fighters motto
I salute you, Harlem hell fighters, and I thank you for your service.
DesertRedPanda possibly. Do you live in North Carolina?
DesertRedPanda that is correct, so we might be related
As a Canadien, as a man of French Blood, and as a man who lost family members in the French Army at Champagne in 1915, and at Verdun, I offer a portion of my thanks to the Hellfighters and their descendants for helping to defend France. The suffering of people both past and present wounds my heart, and i hope that within my lifetime we can put aside our differences and find true peace, however unlikely that is.
J'aime comme vous parle Canadien lol. Parceque c'est le mot Français
@@FreakishSmilePA Le Français n'est pas mort, mais bien en train de se faire assassiner par l'influence de l'anglosphère. Si les francophones ne s'éveillent pas face a ce fait et continuent de se laisser exterminer, notre langue mourra.
@@bugfighter5949 Je suis désolée... MOT, ce n'est mort pa ! Je suis de la ÉU 😥
@@FreakishSmilePA I am Canadien, not Canadian, My forefathers arrived in Canada in 1718.
I have no idea what just happened down here. . . .
Don't tread on me, god damm let's go!
Bruh how tf you comment 23 hours ago this came out 2 minutes ago
@@fishybottoms2280 patreons get stuff early
Something I will always be grateful for when watching history channels like this is that I learn of people or groups I might otherwise never have heard about. My hat's off to you, EH 😊
"Why does it always have to be about race?" .... Because America never let's us forget unfortunately, then and now
This.
Preach
You're reminded every ten years, when it's time for census.
It's often a common misconception that after the civil war the US was " the least racist country"
This is not true many European countries had more respect for Harlem hellfighters than the US .
On a side note I would love a series or video about the Napoleonic wars
The Imperium of man yes, I very much agree with the napoleonic war series. Either that or Vietnam
@@mattmarino4033 I demand both!
Common misconception? Like, by who? Segregation, lynchings and the KKK aren't really a secret to the rest of the world.
@@CP-hn1zy i guess by american standards then...
@@moiseman You have no idea how many people I've met in school and on the internet that thought the French were more racist than the United States during the 19th and 20th century
Once again, since the song has been released, I have but one thing to say:
"Hear the toll of the bell
Kept fighting for six months in Hell
As the war rages on
They fight at the edge of the Argonne"
Hear the toll of the bell
Over 6 months in hell
Out of the trenches they came
As the war rages on
At the edge of the Argonne
Hellfighters earning their name
@@raf6029
They would have no prisoners taken
And they never lost any ground
Earned the cross of war unshaken
Never turned around
@@dimitrijejovanovic5939
As the armistice is drawing closer
The 369th
They kept on fighting till it was over
And they were the first to reach the Rhine!
Makes me cry to hear how they were treated and sick to know that there are still to many who are still being treated like this today...
I’m more sickened by the people who argue that it’s justified for xyz reasons
@@fireironthesecond2909 “BuT hE dId DrUgS tHiS oNe TiMe So He DeSeRvEd To DiE.” -Racists
@@howdydoodilly6812 actually they are not racist because of xyz
The difference is that people who treat blacks like this today can and frequently do get in serious trouble for it. Back then, nothing happened.
Cleaning up a culture is a long, slow process, but that process is underway.
Grateful to the Frech for the respect and openness they showed these men.
"Northern Ideas". Gotta love those vintage dog whistles, clear tone.
The Sneezing Picture because southern ideas are so noble, lmao
America: NOOO YOU CANT GIVE OUR SOLDIER AN AWARD! HES OUR SOLDIER!
France: Haha medal do ding.
Nao goo awaee or we shall taunt you a second taeeme.
Pffffrrrrt! Pfffffrrrrt!
Yeah, the Hell Fighters were a real problem to the Germans. Allegedly the Hell Fighters never gave up any land or lost anyone to the Germans, and were as ferocious as you described, so the Germans really feared the Hell Fighters, but I recall the rest were taken POW when they had nothing to fight with.
So, technically they gave up land, but not before there was no way they could fight.
I am pretty sure the avarage wermacht soldier had no idea who they where, as they made up 0.1% of the allied western front soldiers.
@@TheBarser
Legends tend to spread far and wide in very little time.
I am also pretty sure that no land was really taken back from the allied at that point too.
Nor at any times of the war
@@evryatis9231 The land changed hands and went back and forth constantly. Succesful attacks were made almost daily, enemy lines breached.... Often even second lines, or even third, but fourth and fifth lines only rarely, and if they did get that far, the forces were too spent and scattered to continue the attack.
Taking a hundred meters of ground wont change the war, taking a hundred kilometers wont change the war.
@@TheBarser That's not how trench warfare worked. You knew through raids and prisoner captures which units were opposing you. each army would send out a few men every night to kidnap enemy soldiers and interrogate them. Even if they never captured any 369th men they'd know from French captives that they were there.
The ambush Johnson and Roberts fell into in the Argonne was probably a raid sent to test their unit and learn more about them. Common enough throughout the era of the Western Front deadlock where units tended to stay in place for months and getting accurate info of the unit opposite you, its tendencies, leadership and habits, could yield opportunities during the next offensive.
I teared up, and actually started crying. Thank you for retelling such important stories.
HEAR THE TOLL OF THE BELL, OVER SIX MONTHS IN HELL
Out of the trenches they came
@@mugenokami2201 AS THE WAR RAGES ON
@@trainboi777yall6 AT THE EDGE OF THE ARGONNE
@@EC23331 HELLFIGHTERS EARNING THEIR NAME
I've been waiting for this episode since I bought battlefield 1
Now we need something on the 442 Regimental Combat Team from WW2, the most decorated unit for its size and length of service. And it was made of Japanese-Americans who volunteered from internment camps.
"Hear the toll of the bell
Kept fighting for six months in hell
As the war rages on
They fight at the edge of the Argonne
Hear the toll of the bell, over six months in hell
Out of the trenches they came
As the war rages on, at the edge of the Argonne
Hellfighters earning their name"
The french government could had offered them some positions at the Foreign Legion, then they would get citizenships to escape from America.
I don't it's legal to offer military positions to people serving in another military
Some african american veterans indeed chose to remain in Europe After the war but as civilians.
el bentos i would have been one to stay. Much better life in france than racist america
@@zealousdoggo the demobilization let entire regiments just sort out how they were getting home on their own, besides what's America going to do it's not like president windrow wilson wasn't a racist at the time, not to mention some of them choose to remain in France afterward.
Cant you just request to join the FFL, without being offered an invitation by the government? They let people join no questions asked
6:57 "Ya like jazz?"
But, Scat Cat and his gang in Disney's Aristocats? They played jazz, and that was set before WW1. Don't tell me Hollywood got that wrong too.
Up next: The Tuskegee Airmen
Seconded.
GOD PLEASE BE NEXT!
How about the 761st Tank Battalion?
@@wescoleman6240 BOTH
Hasnt the tuskegee episode been done already?
Hey guys! Ik this is kinda late, but there’s a song that came out recently. If you like rock/metal you’ll love sabaton’s Hellfighters song that states the bravery and determination that these soldiers faced. RIP to all the Harlem Hellfighters.
Hearing about their end brings a tear to the eye. A horrible disservice to these brave men.
French: "Go fight the Germans!"
HHFs: "LEEEEROOOOOOY JOHNSTON!" (Gets 14K ahead of the French lines)
French: "... Mon dieu they just ran in..."
Fun fact about Benjamin O. Davis: As he became the first black man to reach the rank of General in the Army, his son Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. became the first black General in the Air Force. These achievements must run in the family.
For Sgt. Johnson, if there isn't a film about him being made or already made, there should be. I only learned about him and the Harlem Hellfighters through The Great War (awesome channel btw) and Battlefield 1 (iffy history, but the first bit does its job sort of) and I wish more people knew about the 369th Infantry Regiment.
The Great War (channel) was awesome, I learned so much about the eastern front. Quite a bit about the western front too for that matter.
I learned about the because of the Sabaton song
this almost made me cry at the end
Well I actually cried at the end
Bruh was talking literal sh*t and I remembered why I love these videos
Thank you for consistently showing history that the other history channels ignore...
Americans: we refuse to fight with the Harlem Hellfighters
French: soldier is soldier
I'm literally crying - both touched by their honor and bravery, and saddened that they never received their proper due.
I'm so glad extra history did a segment on the Harlem Hellfighters! As you can tell from my profile pic they were one of my favorite examples of African American Patriotism and Heroism. I participated in National History Day at my Highschool and my project titled "A Forgotten History" came in 5th place at the state competition. God bless every last one of them.
I’d never heard of the Hellfighters. So much respect.
Any time a soldier gets the title "The _____ Death" it's like attaining immortality.
“FROM A LAND ACROSS THE OCEAN, TO THE WESTERN FRONT WHERE THEY SERVED, FOUGHT WITH COURAGE AND DEVOTION, PRECONCEPTIONS TURNED! AS THE SPRING OFFENSIVE KEPT CHURNING, WHERE THE MEN WOULD EARN THEIR NAME, SEE THE TIDES OF BATTLE TURNING, AND THEIR FOES IGNITE THEIR FLAME!”
To anyone who gets the reference hear the toll of the bell over 6 months in hell out of the trenches they came
As the war rages on
At the edge of the Argonne
Hellfighters earning their name
I've been waiting so long for them to finally talk about these amazing men!! More people need to know about the Harlem Hellfighters and they need better recognition
The story of Leroy Johnston (who finally received the Purple Heart in 2018) and the Elaine Massacre should be taught in all high school U.S. History courses. You can’t tackle the problems we face today if you don’t understand how we got here.
BF1 intro is playing in my head
Just this most recent Saturday I finally found a Plumb knife made in Philadelphia in 1917 a knife much like the bolo but man would I kill for an originally bolo of the war.
This made me cry. These were brave and good men. I wish i could say thank you to all of them personally
FROM THE LAND ACROSS THE OCEAN TO WESTREN FRONT WHERE THEY SERVED FOUGHT WITH COURAGE AND DEVOTION PRECONCEPIONTS TURNED
Thank you for this. Rest in light, Soldiers. Duty done.
I want to cry I'm so frustrated with what they went through. This is what people mean when they say that things generational. There are families to this day that are struggling because their ancestors did not get their awards and money for their service. So that means that their children and their children's children had a later start, they didn't have that inherited wealth to give down, no house is the pass down, no jewelry, you were starting from scratch every generation. And then you have families that are prosperous today, because their ancestors were very wealthy and they were able to pass that down and maintain it.
My Great Grandfather was apart of this regiment! He was born and raised in Long Island NY of Shinnecock Indian heritage 🐋🪶🤎!!!
Fought and lived through WW1... Only to get lynched back home.. I am speechless
Heart-breaking, eh? :-(
BVSJ does awesome work. I partnered with them to provide financial literacy classes when I lived in Brooklyn.
from a land across the ocean; to the western front were they served, for their courage and devoation.
Hear the toll of the bell over 6 mouths in hell out of the trenches they came
a courages deeds thats lost to time, and recovered. this is why I respect men of all colours
Another group of people that should get a recognition video are the Navajo Code Talkers.
God I started crying at the end. I love history and learning all I can and I’ve never even heard about the Hell Fighters in my America educational upbringing. Thank you so much for this!
Weird, they were featured in mine, also American.
When I fought in Vietnam, I also received a Vietnamese medal. I was told that as an American soldier, I was only eligible for a Vietnamese medal which was also awarded to Vietnamese soldiers. The implication was that they couldn't make up medals for us.
As someone who has family and friends who served in the military, I humbly thank everyone past and present who served our country proudly. You’re the reason we are still free to enjoy life we want to and it’s a debt we can never repay.
As an American this fills me with great pride as well as shame. Tragic Heroes.
you've got to admit, the Harlem Hellfighters is a badass nickname
Thank you Extra Credits for producing videos on black lives, when other channels shy away from them. Our stories and sacrifices deserve to be told. It's heartbreaking knowing we fought and died for the same people who called us "n-----", only to be welcomed back to the same hate and racial discrimination. All Lives are supposed to Matter, but it can't matter until Black Lives Matter.
Democratic policies of the time should not be forgotten. They put these men in these situations sadly. At least times are different now
"Don't Tread On Me, God Damn, Let's Go!" Motto of the 369th Infantry Regiment (Harlem Hellfighters), New York National Guard, United States Army
Wednesday September 9th 2020, I watched something. This. A true and proper testament to the pain and under appreciation that brave men and women of colour face when in the military. And In all branches of life in fact. These videos help to bolster our knowledge, to help and pave a new and better path for tomorrow, without the mistakes of yesteryear. Even today. This is why I support extra history.
INTO THE FIRES OF HELL, THE ARGONNE
A HERO TO BE
@@aksisarchonprime2335
ENTERED THE WAR FROM OVER THE SEA
@@festethephule7553 INTERVENE 1918
ALL THE WAY FROM TENESEE1
HILL 223
And here I thought I was gonna hear some Dutch history I didn't know about...
(I'm from Harlem netherlands)
Though given American politics right now this is certainly important.
*Haarlem.
A video about Kenau would certainly make a lot of people happy (except a few Spaniards maybe).🙂
Well, Haarlem had the Ten Booms 😃
Hope they and the Dutch Resistance will be covered in future videos
Very well done, I appreciate your candor and honesty about the treatment of these American heroes. 💜
The worst part about this is that they STILL don't teach this in schools
Most of the time world history gets one week for WW1 and one week for WW2, right at the end of the year when data retention is at its lowest.
Well that would imply painting the French Army as more honorable than the US one and that's never going to happen
People who fought with honor and valor FOR their country should be treated with honor IN their country! This stupidity called racism needs to stop, NOW! Do what you can to be part of that change. We need to be better with each other.
I wish I could understand racists from their point of view. How do you see men, who went to war for your country, who lost countless friends for your country, who lost their souls for your country, and judge them based on their race?
You need religion to do that.
Fun fact: American WW1 commander John Pershing received the nickname "Black Jack" after he commanded black soldiers in the Spanish-American war, rather than take offense to the name John embraced it, saying he was proud to command such effective soldiers
Imagine watching your friends die for this country, just to be murdered by the people you were protecting…
We have to be better
My heart hurts for you fallen brother
I'm happy someone finally mentioned The Puerto Ricans who were involved in the Hellfighters
Both happy to hear they got recognition from the French and saddened that they were treated terribly back home in America.
I first found out about the Harlem HellFighters through Max Brooks' excellent graphic novel The Harlem HellFighters. I have been fascinated by these brave soldiers ever since. Thank you for helping to spread the word.
This is the history we need a major motion picture about.
I would appreciate seeing movie about this event being made but I dont think I'd be able to sit through them, knowing what the ending will be
Hollywood would NEVER make a movie painting the French army as better than their own
I love Extra History for making episodes such as the Black Wall Street Massacre and Harlem Hellfighters. I appreciate them shining a light on AA achievements and events!
These men fought in a frying pan and returned to a fire. I hope to live to see the day when soldiers are treated as soldiers regardless of their differences. Race, religion, gender, sexuality, political beliefs, ideologies, these all run through us at varying depths, but none run as deep as the bond between soldiers. Where friendships are forged in fire and signed in blood, it is only honor, brother/sisterhood, and a love for ones country that run blood deep. I salute these men and the generations of soldiers that followed.
I'm so happy you're sharing these stories but I'm even happier it's not the first time I've heard these brave men's names
This man deserve so much more than what they got from the American government and people in live.
This just shows that no matter race, anyone can be as good as anyone else.
And, for those who don't know, Brazilian Expeditionary Force (FEB), was the only non segregated force to fight in both World Wars. All batalions where mixed, from troopers to officers.
Really? Damn. Yet another shard of history here. Thanks, dude.
@@Briselance yes
The conversations in the African American community about enlisting before and after the war are fascinating, and were an important stepping stone into the Harlem Renaissance iirc. This is alongside the awful lynchings like Chicago in 1919... and yet people still refuse the confront the legacies of this racism. Great video guys!
They are being confronted. Those resisting the process of becoming better people used to be in power in both parties, now they're mostly gone from one and clinging onto relevance by their fingernail in the other.