vietnam2

During the Vietnam War, discrimination against African American soldiers increased after Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination. Incidents of racism, such as troops wearing KKK robes and displaying Confederate flags, were reported. Racial violence became common, with over a thousand cases in 1970 alone. These tensions sometimes led black soldiers to refuse to fight. However, there was also solidarity as black identity movements within the troops grew. Judging to African Americans actually serving in Vietnam, there wasn't actually much discrimination at the start of the war, although racism was still common. However, when Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in April of 1968, racism began occurring at higher rates. Following King's assassination, Comron base would see some white troops parade around the base in KKK robes. Instances of cross burnings would also be confirmed. Denying airbase would fly a confederate flag for three days, and troops would paint confederate flags and icons on jeeps, tanks, and helicopters. Some commanders even banned recording of speeches by Malcolm X or newspapers by the Black Panthers. Racial incidents in Da Nang, Comron Bay, and other bases had become common and happened regularly. Thirty-three incidents of racial violence have been reported between December 1969 and January 1970. In 1970 alone, there were over a thousand cases of racial conflict. These racial tensions sometimes caused black soldiers to refuse to fight. A race riot occurred on the USS Kitty Hawk after the ship was to cancel its trip home and return to Vietnam. Black and white sailors attacked each other, resulting in the arrest of twenty-five black sailors and no arrest made on any white sailors. Even got so petty and small when one black soldier was ordered to remove a Black is Beautiful poster from his locker. Although most black soldiers faced such hate, there was still solidarity as the black identity movements within Vietnam troops grew over time.