In World War I, only two of the black regiments of the U.S. Army were sent into combat. A large number of soldiers in the 368th Infrantry ran away from the front line when fighting began and five of its officers were court-martialed for “cowardly misconduct in the face of the enemy.” Most historians now argue that the behavior of the 368th was due to poor training not a lack of patriotism or martial spirit. But Private Sidney Wilson of the 368th wrote this letter from the front lines in France to his draft board and a white newspaper in his hometown of Memphis:
“It afoads to the soldier boys wich you have sent so far away from home a great deal of pledger to write you a few lines to let you know that you low-down Mother Fuckers can put a gun in our hands but who is able to take it out? We may go to France but I want to let you know that it will not be over with until we straiten up this state. We feel like we have nothing to do with this war, so if you all thinks it, just wait until Uncle Sam puts a gun in the niggers hands and you will be sorry of it, because we is show goin to come back and fight and whip out the United States, because we have colored luetinan [lieutenants] up here, and thay is planing against this country everyday. So all we wants now is the amanation, then you all can look out, for we is coming.”
For sending this letter Wilson was court-martialed and sentenced to ten years at hard labor.
Iran is now more powerful, and al Qaeda is on the march to Baghdad.
The Insomniac Libertarian 