The existence of an African-American enclave in Saigon adds the spice of little-known fact to a work of fiction.
It was probably inevitable that racial tensions would simmer and occasionally boil over. In August 1968, hundreds of black prisoners overwhelmed prison guards at Long Binh Jail, a military facility just outside Saigon, where they captured the stockade commander and set buildings on fire., there were reports of large-scale battles between black and white soldiers in service clubs, while racial incidents occurred at the China Beach recreation area and in Danang clubs and dining halls almost daily.
In October 1972, there was a race riot on the USS Kitty Hawk, and similar incidents on other Navy ships., Australian sappers reported that many black American troops preferred to socialise with them rather than their countrymen. So, one can see how Soul Alley would be a refuge for African-American troops from the racism, both casual and overt, of their white comrades in arms.
There the bars played soul music and blues rather than pop and country, there was soul food such as collard greens, grits and fried chicken and it was in effect a no-go area for whites, unless they were accompanied by a black comrade.For a long time, military police wouldn’t venture there, partly for fear of starting a civil war among the US forces.
That rare incursion was prompted by an assault on a Military Police Jeep that had strayed into the area. The two MPs escaped, but not their vehicle or weapons. The subsequent raid captured 56 local women and 110 GIs, 30 of whom were deserters.Wartime Vietnam is just one part of
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