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History of the American Negro in the Great World War: His Splendid Record in the Battle Zones of Europe; Including a Resume of His Past Services to his Country in the Wars of the Revolution, of 1812, the War of Rebellion, the Indian Wars on the Frontier, the Spanish-American War, and the Late Imbroglio With Mexico — John Shaqi

History

History of the American Negro in the Great World War: His Splendid Record in the Battle Zones of Europe; Including a Resume of His Past Services to his Country in the Wars of the Revolution, of 1812, the War of Rebellion, the Indian Wars on the Frontier, the Spanish-American War, and the Late Imbroglio With Mexico

Name: History of the American Negro in the Great World War: His Splendid Record in the Battle Zones of Europe; Including a Resume of His Past Services to his Country in the Wars of the Revolution, of 1812, the War of Rebellion, the Indian Wars on the Frontier, the Spanish-American War, and the Late Imbroglio With Mexico
Author: Sweeney, William Allison

Sweeney, William Allison

African American soldiers; African Americans -- History -- 1877-1964; World War, 1914-1918 -- Participation, African American

"We are in a state of tense expectation, so acute that it dulls the
     senses; Paris is relapsing into the condition of an audience
     assisting at a thrilling drama with intolerably long entr'acts,
     during which it tries to think of its own personal affairs.

     "We know that pages of history are being rapidly engraved in steel,
     written in blood, illuminated in the margin with glory on a
     background of heroism and suffering, not more than a few score
     miles away.

     "The shrieking camelots (peddlers) gallop through the streets
     waving their news sheets, but it is almost always news of
     twenty-four hours ago. The iron hand of the censor reduces the
     press to a monotonous repetition of the same formula. Only
     headlines give scope for originality. Of local news there is none.
     There is nothing doing in Paris but steady preparation for meeting
     contingencies by organizing ambulances and relief for the poor."

From the thousands of tales brought back by American tourists caught in
Germany at the outbreak of the war, there is more than enough evidence
that they were not treated with that courtesy manifested towards them by
the French. They were arrested as spies, subjected to all sorts of
embarrassments and indignities; their persons searched, their baggage
and letters examined, and frequently were detained for long periods
without any explanation being offered. When finally taken to the
frontier, they were not merely put across--frequently they were in a
sense thrown across.

Nor were the subjects of other nations, particularly those with which
Germany was at war, treated with that fine restraint which characterized
the French. Here is an account by a traveller of the treatment of
Russian subjects:

     "We left Berlin on the day Germany declared war against Russia. Within
     seventy-five miles of the frontier, 1,000 Russians in the train by
     which they were travelling were turned out of the carriage and
     compelled to spend eighteen hours without food in an open field
     surrounded by soldiers with fixed bayonets.

     "Then they were placed in dirty cattle wagons, about sixty men, women
     and children to a wagon, and for twenty-eight hours were carried about
     Prussia without food, drink or privacy. In Stettin they were lodged in
     pig pens, and next morning were sent off by steamer to Rugen, whence
     they made their way to Denmark and Sweden without money or luggage.
     Sweden provided them with food and free passage to the Russian
     frontier. Five of our fellow-passengers went mad."

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