Bitter Victory A History Of Black Soldiers In World War 1 Summary

Henri, Florette, Bitter Victory: A History of Black Soldiers In World War I (New York: Zenith Books, 1970).

In the novel Bitter Victory: A History of Black Soldiers In World War I by Florette Henri, his purpose is to inform the audience of the difficulty African Americans faced in World War I during the years of 1914-1918. Henri paints a picture for the reader to visualize what it was like for black soldiers to fight for their right to protect their country in a time of turmoil. African Americans had very little rights in the early 19th century; Henri wanted to showcase the different major events that happened for black soldiers in the war. The novel is not based off of one soldier story, but emcompasses many different events and stories from different people who had failures and major successes as black soldiers during World War I. The novel is split up into four major parts

The first section discusses the new freedom some black citizens were granted concerning their transition from the rural South to the industrialized North. The second section discusses how the United States began to accept black soldiers into the war little by little, but at first they were given the lowest of jobs. Then the third section includes all the fighting the black soldiers did in the war and the major events that occured. Finally the fourth section discusses life after the war for these brave soldiers.

Florette Henri’s Bitter Victory: A History of Black Soldiers In World War I suggests that in order for us to progress as a country we must learn to expand our horizons and be willing to accept anyone from any race, background, or religion. Although, throughout most of the novel Henri describes the specific events that took place during the war instead of focusing just on the overall message