Into a veritable hell of hissing bullets, into that death-dealing torrent, with heads bent as though facing a March gale, the shattered lines of Marines pushed on. The headed wheat bowed and waved in that metal cloud-burst like meadow grass in a summer breeze. The advancing lines wavered, and the voice of Sergeant Daniel Daly was heard above the uproar: "Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?"
 
Marines overcame such odds, and won such a victory, that a grateful France renamed Belleau Wood, "Bois de la Brigade de Marine" ("Wood of the Marine Brigade").  General Pershing, commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, was quoted as saying, "The deadliest weapon in the world is a United States Marine and his rifle."  General Pershing also stated "the Battle of Belleau Wood was for the U.S. the biggest battle since Appomattox and the most considerable engagement American troops had ever had with a foreign enemy."
 

The black sergeant waited until the Germans were close to his post, then opened fire upon them with his automatic rifle. He kept the stream of lead upon the raiders until ten of their number had been killed. Then he went forth and took the German lieutenant, who was slightly wounded, a prisoner, released the American lieutenant and five other prisoners, and returned to the American lines with his prisoner and the rescued party. 
 
Fighting through predudice before fighting their country's enemies, soldiers of the all-black 369th Regiment of New York provided an example for all Americans. More than 400,000 black soldiers (367,710 draftees plus voluntary enlistments and those already in the Regular Army) were called to the colors and offered their lives in defense of the American flag in World War I.
 

“It is high time to teach the boys and girls of America lessons of patriotism. Why, I have found many cases where the children did not know how to salute the flag of the United States. We intend to teach them, and in giving them ideas of American patriotism we shall also instill in them a love of America and its great historical events which have made us the land of freedom.”
 
How different was education when "The Greatest Generation" was growing up from what the youth of the Republic receives today? The difference is stark, and even a cursory review of the present situation would lead any objective observer to note that the changes have not been beneficial.  The following is an overview of how patriotism was nurtured in one school 100 years ago.  
 

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