New Books in History Wil Haygood, "The War within a War: The Black Struggle in Vietnam and at Home" (Knopf, 2026)
May 12, 2026
Wil Haygood, award-winning journalist and author of nonfiction on African American history, discusses Black soldiers' experiences in Vietnam. He traces integration and racism inside the military. He profiles POWs, nurses, and logistics officers. He highlights Agent Orange whistleblowing, monuments and memory, and the music and culture that shaped veterans' lives.
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Integrated War Created A Dual Battle
- The Vietnam War was the nation's first racially integrated war, forcing Black soldiers to fight both the conflict abroad and racism within the military.
- Will Haygood notes 98% of officers were white, many Southern-trained, creating a persistent internal battle described as "a war within a war."
Time Magazine Cover Followed By A Cross Burning
- Sergeant Goliath woke up on the cover of Time Magazine to find a Ku Klux Klan cross burned outside his tent despite fighting bravely alongside white soldiers.
- Haygood uses this episode to show how celebrated Black service still met violent racism at base level.
Black Nurse Faced Dying Soldiers' First Question
- Nurse Dorothy Harris, one of the few Black nurses in Vietnam, described the heartbreak of young soldiers asking, 'Am I going to die?'
- Harris's frontline nursing illustrates women's critical, often overlooked combat support roles.
