Prepare to delve into a powerful and eye-opening story that sheds light on a hidden chapter of history. We're talking about the experiences of Black soldiers during the Vietnam War, a narrative that challenges our understanding of this tumultuous period.
Wil Haygood, a renowned author, has penned his 10th book, 'The War Within a War: The Black Struggle in Vietnam and at Home.' In a recent discussion in Washington DC, Haygood shared a remarkable artifact - a small Ziploc bag containing a flier, its pages yellowed by time. This flier, written in Vietnamese and English, was a message directed at Black soldiers, urging them to recognize their true battlefield as the fight against racial discrimination back home in the USA.
Haygood's book tells the stories of these Black Americans - soldiers, marines, pilots, doctors, nurses, and more - who served or experienced Vietnam from the mid-1960s to the mid-70s. It's a personal journey for Haygood, who cites James Baldwin, a great writer who influenced his work. Baldwin's words, published in 1967, resonate deeply: 'A racist society can't but fight a racist war... The first Viet Cong victim was the American Negro. We were bombed first.'
Haygood describes the racism faced by Black soldiers and the stark disadvantages they endured, which had a lasting impact on their lives and the nation as a whole. He highlights how Vietnam was the first desegregated war, where Blacks and whites had to depend on each other, yet the Civil Rights Act of 1964 often remained just words on paper.
Statistics from the Library of Congress paint a stark picture: approximately 300,000 African Americans served in the Vietnam War, yet they filled 31% of ground combat battalions, while only making up 12% of the general population. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. referred to it as 'a white man's war, a Black man's fight.'
Haygood's interest in this topic stems from his personal experiences. Growing up in Columbus, Ohio, he recalls a neighbor, Skip Dunn, who waved to him every morning before disappearing to Vietnam. The following year, Haygood's mother moved to an all-Black housing project, and he witnessed the aftermath of King's assassination, running from national guard troops.
King's death was a turning point for Black Americans in Vietnam, where the Tet offensive in 1968 showed the war's futility. Haygood identified a gap in the narrative surrounding Black soldier experiences, a topic still confusing and scary for many Americans due to the war's lengthy duration.
'The War Within a War' features notable figures like Joseph B. Anderson, a West Point graduate, and George Forrest, who fought heroically at Ia Drang. It also explores Motown's response to the war, with Berry Gordy releasing spoken-word albums opposing the conflict, and Marvin Gaye recording his iconic album 'What's Going On.'
The book also highlights the story of Dorothy Harris, a nurse who formed a bond with an infantry captain, Riley Leroy Pitts, and Philippa Schuyler, a mixed-race former child prodigy pianist who died trying to save orphaned children in Vietnam.
Haygood's book comes at a time when the Trump administration is waging a war on Black history, particularly in the military, taking away honors bestowed on Black soldiers. In 1966, Art Gregg, who would later become the first Black three-star general, discussed the murder of George Floyd and the racial justice protests with Haygood.
Under the Biden administration, the US military attempted to reckon with its racist past, renaming Fort Lee in Virginia to Fort Gregg-Adams in 2023. However, the Trump administration later took away this honor.
Haygood sees this as an attempt to rewrite history, stating, 'This would be my most timely book... I will fight the good fight as long as I have a pen in my hand.'
'The War Within a War' by Wil Haygood is a powerful reminder of the struggles and sacrifices of Black soldiers during the Vietnam War, a story that deserves to be told and remembered.
