"A White Man's War, A Black Man's Fight": The Forgotten Story of Black Soldiers in Vietnam
When Wil Haygood's new book, "The War Within a War: The Black Struggle in Vietnam and at Home," was released, the author held up a small Ziploc bag containing a yellowed flier with a message scrawled on it. Translated from Vietnamese, it read: "Colored GI's! The South Vietnamese people... are friends with the American colored people being victim of barbarous racial discrimination at home." Haygood explained that one of his interviewees, Elbert Nelson, a doctor who served in Vietnam, had found this leaflet and was deeply moved by its words.
This flier is just one example of the ways in which Black soldiers in Vietnam experienced a unique and traumatic form of racism. Despite being part of the same military as their white counterparts, Black soldiers faced stark disadvantages in circumstances and outcomes that often washed back to American soil. The war in Vietnam was the first desegregated conflict in US history, with Blacks and whites forced to rely on each other for survival.
According to figures from the Library of Congress, approximately 300,000 African Americans served in the Vietnam War, making up nearly a third of ground combat battalions. Despite their bravery, Black soldiers suffered casualties at a higher rate than white soldiers, and were more likely to be victims of racism both on and off the battlefield.
Haygood's book delves into the experiences of individual Black soldiers who fought in Vietnam, including Joseph B. Anderson, George Forrest, Fred Cherry, Wallace Terry, and Philippa Schuyler, a mixed-race pianist who risked her life to save orphaned children in Da Nang. These stories reveal the complexities of racism faced by Black soldiers in Vietnam, from the leaflets like Haygood's example to the harsh realities of combat.
One of the most striking aspects of Haygood's book is its exploration of the ways in which Black soldiers were able to find solidarity with each other despite being subjected to racist treatment. The term "dapping" was used to describe these acts of solidarity, from expressing support for fellow soldiers to participating in uprisings against racism.
As Haygood notes, this book is timely given the current efforts by the Trump administration to rewrite Black military history and erase the honors bestowed on pioneering Black soldiers like Art Gregg. The renaming of Fort Lee in Virginia to Fort Gregg-Adams is a case in point, with the administration attempting to erase the legacy of these trailblazers.
For Haygood, this book represents a crucial moment in the fight for historical accuracy and justice. "I will continue to write about this," he says, "because writers and film-makers must step up to counter the efforts to whitewash history." With "The War Within a War," Haygood delivers a powerful and poignant exploration of the often-overlooked experiences of Black soldiers in Vietnam, shedding light on a pivotal moment in American history that continues to have relevance today.
When Wil Haygood's new book, "The War Within a War: The Black Struggle in Vietnam and at Home," was released, the author held up a small Ziploc bag containing a yellowed flier with a message scrawled on it. Translated from Vietnamese, it read: "Colored GI's! The South Vietnamese people... are friends with the American colored people being victim of barbarous racial discrimination at home." Haygood explained that one of his interviewees, Elbert Nelson, a doctor who served in Vietnam, had found this leaflet and was deeply moved by its words.
This flier is just one example of the ways in which Black soldiers in Vietnam experienced a unique and traumatic form of racism. Despite being part of the same military as their white counterparts, Black soldiers faced stark disadvantages in circumstances and outcomes that often washed back to American soil. The war in Vietnam was the first desegregated conflict in US history, with Blacks and whites forced to rely on each other for survival.
According to figures from the Library of Congress, approximately 300,000 African Americans served in the Vietnam War, making up nearly a third of ground combat battalions. Despite their bravery, Black soldiers suffered casualties at a higher rate than white soldiers, and were more likely to be victims of racism both on and off the battlefield.
Haygood's book delves into the experiences of individual Black soldiers who fought in Vietnam, including Joseph B. Anderson, George Forrest, Fred Cherry, Wallace Terry, and Philippa Schuyler, a mixed-race pianist who risked her life to save orphaned children in Da Nang. These stories reveal the complexities of racism faced by Black soldiers in Vietnam, from the leaflets like Haygood's example to the harsh realities of combat.
One of the most striking aspects of Haygood's book is its exploration of the ways in which Black soldiers were able to find solidarity with each other despite being subjected to racist treatment. The term "dapping" was used to describe these acts of solidarity, from expressing support for fellow soldiers to participating in uprisings against racism.
As Haygood notes, this book is timely given the current efforts by the Trump administration to rewrite Black military history and erase the honors bestowed on pioneering Black soldiers like Art Gregg. The renaming of Fort Lee in Virginia to Fort Gregg-Adams is a case in point, with the administration attempting to erase the legacy of these trailblazers.
For Haygood, this book represents a crucial moment in the fight for historical accuracy and justice. "I will continue to write about this," he says, "because writers and film-makers must step up to counter the efforts to whitewash history." With "The War Within a War," Haygood delivers a powerful and poignant exploration of the often-overlooked experiences of Black soldiers in Vietnam, shedding light on a pivotal moment in American history that continues to have relevance today.
. I mean, can you believe they had to deal with racism both on and off the battlefield? It's like, they were fighting for our country, but still got treated like second class citizens back home. The term "dapping" is actually really cool, it shows that even in a war-torn situation, black soldiers found ways to support each other 
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. It's crazy to think about how much they had to overcome just to make it through the war. And can we please talk about how the Trump administration is trying to erase Black military history? That's just not cool 
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. I'm excited to dive in and learn more about these brave men and women who fought for our country, even when they weren't being treated equally 
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... It's crazy to think that despite being part of the same military as their white counterparts, they had to deal with racism and discrimination not just back home but also on the battlefield 
. And can you believe that there were only 300k african americans serving in vietnam out of like 3 million soldiers 
. I mean, sure, it's cool that we're finally talking about the experiences of Black soldiers in Vietnam, but isn't it a bit too little, too late? We've been learning about the Civil Rights Movement and World War II for decades now, so what's new about this story? 
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. Is it just a bunch of feel-good stories or are there some real hard-hitting truths being told?
, you know? We always think about the Civil Rights Movement and the struggle for equality in America, but it's fascinating to learn about the experiences of Black soldiers in Vietnam 
. I mean, they were fighting alongside white soldiers, but still faced racism on both sides of the conflict 
. It's like, we think we've come so far since then, but there's still so much to uncover and learn about our history 
. And I'm all for shedding light on this part of American history that's often been forgotten or erased 
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. This book is a great reminder that our history is complex and multifaceted 
, and that everyone deserves to be represented accurately.
. It's like, we need more voices telling these stories and giving these soldiers the recognition they deserve 
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They risked their lives for our country and were treated like second-class citizens at home 
The fact that they had to rely on each other for survival because of racism is heartbreaking 
Haygood's book is a must-read, finally giving voice to these unsung heroes 
We need more stories like this to be shared and celebrated 
You know what's wild? We're so used to thinking about the Civil Rights Movement like it was this big, separate thing from everything else... but honestly, racism has been going down in Vietnam for ages 
. The way they were treated wasnt even close to equal 
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. We need more people like Haygood who are willing to tell these stories and keep them alive. Anyway, I'm definitely adding "The War Within a War" to my reading list now 
300k African Americans lost their lives fighting for the country... but what about the ones who came back home? 
Many of them faced racist treatment, unequal pay, and a hostile reception from society. It's time to acknowledge & honor their sacrifices 
. The story of black soldiers in vietnam is so important and it's crazy how many people are trying to rewrite the past 
. I mean, what's next? Erasing the sacrifices of civil rights activists like martin luther king jr 
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Why did they call it a war if they're just fighting for equality? 
[Dapping GIF](https://giphy.com/gifs/dapping-5jxwJ7dKZVq4k/)