During World War II, there is no doubt that many lives have been lost in both the American and the German side. One of the key factors that would determine victory for either side was air superiority. In the movie directed by Anthony Hemingway called “Red Tails”, the film displays how the roles of African American fighter pilots in the U.S Military significantly changed not just in their jobs, but also on how they are being treated by other white U.S military personnel.
In the beginning of the movie, we are shown how many American bomber planes are being shot down by German fighter planes, simply because the American fighter pilots can not execute proper military protocol. The white American fighter pilots decides to fly away from the bombers to take down the other german pilots leaving them unprotected and vulnerable from being shot by other German fighter planes.
Meanwhile, the African American fighter pilots have been doing land missions, taking down mobile cars, and trains using old fighter planes. Unsatisfied doing usual and dull missions, many African American fighters and military officials asked if they could be part of a more crucial and thrilling mission.
At first, the white generals in charge, did not stand with the idea of having African American fighter pilots because they believed they are not educated enough, and that they are not capable of protecting the bombers because they believed that they could not follow military protocols. However, after many more lives lost, the general decided to give the African American fighter pilots a chance to fly with the bombers.
After a successful mission protecting the bombers, and keeping any plane from being shot by German fighter planes. As a result, many of the whites who were on the bombers acknowledged the “Red Tails” or the African American fighter pilots for taking them back home safely and protecting them from the German fighters. Not only did the white pilots treated them differently but also received new fighter planes that they could use to combat German fighters.
Overall, behind all the action scenes that the movie provided. It taught a crucial history of World War II. It showed some of the struggles that African American fighter pilots had and how they were being treated differently by their co-leagues, but in the end, they showed courage and the capability to follow military protocols earning not only their badges but also the respect that they deserved for fighting for their country.
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