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Negroes underwent segregation even in the armed forces. There were separate Black regiments withh white commanding officers. Their loyalty to the United States, despite this segregaation, did not waiver. Approximately 300,000 Blacks served in World War I, which began in 1917, and their service in the war was impressive. The ability of Black soldiers to overlook the discrimination surrounding them enabled them to acheive honorable accomplishments. One Black regiment held out against German attacks for ninety-one days without losing ground. Black soldiers were the first Americans to cross the Rhine River into Germany, and Henry Johnson and Needham Roberts, two Black soldiers, received medals for bravery in action.
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