The Six Triple Eight

Are you sure about that? 562 00:41:24,857 --> 00:41:26,817 I don't think you're ready for an assignment. 563 00:41:27,651 --> 00:41:30,571 Sir, with all due respect, the white women... 564 00:41:30,654 --> 00:41:31,739 They're more qualified. 565 00:41:33,532 --> 00:41:35,534 Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting. 566 00:41:36,243 --> 00:41:38,078 - Sir, I... - I have a meeting. 567 00:41:39,622 --> 00:41:40,456 Yes, sir. 568 00:41:49,757 --> 00:41:50,591 She is... 569 00:41:52,510 --> 00:41:55,221 Gentlemen, you know my wife. 570 00:41:55,888 --> 00:41:58,724 And this is Mary McLeod Bethune. 571 00:41:59,225 --> 00:42:00,351 Please be seated. 572 00:42:00,935 --> 00:42:02,353 I'll get right down to it. 573 00:42:02,436 --> 00:42:03,562 Over the past few weeks, 574 00:42:03,646 --> 00:42:08,609 my wife and I have been talking about the problems we are having with the mail 575 00:42:08,692 --> 00:42:11,320 and our soldiers' morale. 576 00:42:12,947 --> 00:42:13,822 Care to explain? 577 00:42:13,906 --> 00:42:17,034 There has been a serious blockage in the mail, 578 00:42:17,117 --> 00:42:20,704 simply because we have needed every available vehicle 579 00:42:20,788 --> 00:42:23,082 to bring supplies to the front lines. 580 00:42:23,582 --> 00:42:27,044 General Halt here can speak to the magnitude of the issue. 581 00:42:27,127 --> 00:42:29,088 - General? - Uh, yes, sir. 582 00:42:29,171 --> 00:42:33,676 Now, Mr. President, helping our soldiers win the war is our priority. 583 00:42:34,510 --> 00:42:35,678 Um... 584 00:42:35,761 --> 00:42:40,057 The mail had to take a lesser rank of importance. 585 00:42:40,140 --> 00:42:41,725 I understand that. 586 00:42:41,809 --> 00:42:45,229 What I don't understand is how anyone in this room 587 00:42:45,312 --> 00:42:50,150 cannot see the importance of something as simple as a letter from home 588 00:42:50,234 --> 00:42:52,361 and what it can do for morale. 589 00:42:52,444 --> 00:42:55,990 This is the only way they can communicate outside of the battle. 590 00:42:56,073 --> 00:42:59,285 But the orders at hand are the most important ones, 591 00:42:59,785 --> 00:43:01,829 for the supplies for the front lines. 592 00:43:01,912 --> 00:43:04,164 So are you saying to me 593 00:43:04,832 --> 00:43:08,502 that there is no way to get the mail to these men? 594 00:43:09,587 --> 00:43:11,755 That is unacceptable. 595 00:43:13,340 --> 00:43:14,216 Mary. 596 00:43:14,800 --> 00:43:16,594 As I travel the country, 597 00:43:17,636 --> 00:43:21,223 these are the same stories I hear everywhere. 598 00:43:21,849 --> 00:43:24,768 Worried parents, wives, 599 00:43:25,519 --> 00:43:27,479 children, loved ones, 600 00:43:27,563 --> 00:43:31,150 all wondering why they haven't received any mail. 601 00:43:31,233 --> 00:43:34,361 Not one letter or so much as a postcard 602 00:43:34,445 --> 00:43:37,031 from the men who've been fighting for our country... 603 00:43:37,114 --> 00:43:38,657 Mr. President, I can assure you 604 00:43:38,741 --> 00:43:43,287 that we have, uh, put many companies on this assignment, 605 00:43:43,370 --> 00:43:46,582 but it has proven to be a logistical nightmare at this point. 606 00:43:47,875 --> 00:43:50,294 We even tried the Women's Army Corps. 607 00:43:51,170 --> 00:43:54,548 You mean the white Women's Army Corps? 608 00:43:57,217 --> 00:43:58,594 Well, is there another? 609 00:44:04,725 --> 00:44:06,810 Are you not aware, General, 610 00:44:07,311 --> 00:44:11,440 there are Negro women serving in the Women's Army Corps? 611 00:44:13,400 --> 00:44:15,569 But this mail situation is complicated. 612 00:44:16,070 --> 00:44:19,406 Not as simple as just dropping some letters in the mailbox. 613 00:44:20,115 --> 00:44:23,661 There are reasons for the backlog that are there. 614 00:44:23,744 --> 00:44:27,706 Well, it'd require a great deal of skill 615 00:44:28,207 --> 00:44:30,292 to be able to sort it all out. 616 00:44:30,793 --> 00:44:32,753 With all due respect, General, 617 00:44:33,462 --> 00:44:39,343 the Negro women of the Women's Army Corps are very smart women, 618 00:44:39,968 --> 00:44:43,013 being led by a remarkable Negro woman, 619 00:44:43,514 --> 00:44:46,016 Captain Charity Adams. 620 00:44:46,100 --> 00:44:47,476 She's brilliant. 621 00:44:47,559 --> 00:44:51,897 She has a triple major in physics, mathematics, Latin. 622 00:44:52,398 --> 00:44:54,775 So I assure you, Mr. President, 623 00:44:54,858 --> 00:44:57,569 the Negro women of the WAC unit 624 00:44:57,653 --> 00:45:01,448 possess the skills and the leadership 625 00:45:02,658 --> 00:45:04,785 to get this mail delivered. 626 00:45:14,837 --> 00:45:15,671 There he is! 627 00:45:15,754 --> 00:45:18,507 Ooh. You go on, we'll hold you a seat. 628 00:45:18,590 --> 00:45: