CSU’s Hallock Endowment for Military History Series continues with lecture on race and leadership in the Vietnam-era Army

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - One the most prominent military historians in the country was in the Fountain City Wednesday.

She and others discussed diversity in the U.S., especially from a certain war, as part of of Columbus State University’s Hallock endowment for military history series.

“I think it’s important for us as citizens of this nation to understand our history and to understand the struggles that our forebearers have gone through in trying to bring about a better nation,” said Dr. Beth Bailey.

Military historian, professor, and author Dr. Beth Bailey started writing her book about the Vietnam War era not too long ago.

“The book is about how the U.S. Army as an institution tried to address the racial crisis during the Vietnam War. I started writing it during the Black Lives Matter protest, and one of the things I was thinking about is the ways in which social change happens. People protesting, people demanding change matter a great deal, but for change to really take root it has to be enacted through our institutions and I’m looking at how change is enacted through the institution of the U.S Army,” said Bailey about her book, “An Army Afire: How the U.S. Army Confronted Its Racial Crisis in the Vietnam Era.”

Wednesday, Dr. Bailey explained how racial conflict in the army stemmed from miscommunication and tension, but also the way chain of command tackled issues.

“The first thing they thought of was leadership, the first thing they thought of was command responsibility, unlike civilian society a solider belongs to the Army 24 hours a day and can be issued orders. So trying to get past the racial crisis they said we’re going to focus on leaders taking action,” said Bailey.

Two in attendance for the lecture were the Alexander brothers- Charles and Emory both CSU graduates.

Dr. Emory Alexander who grew up during the Vietnam era says the theme of Wednesday’s lecture stood out to him.

“One of the things that was always disconcerting to me was the fact that there was such a huge disproportionate number of African-Americans who were serving on combat missions in Vietnam, although we only comprised 11 percent of the population during that time, 44 percent of the combat troops were African-American. We had three times more soldiers who were dying in that war, so I was interested when I saw the topic to see the perspective given by Dr. Bailey,” said Dr. Emory Alexander.

“With more compassion for those who served during that time,” said Charles Alexander when asked what did he want to leave the seminar with. “ I used that as a foundation when I did join the service, so that I tried to make sure I decided what areas I wanted to be in rather than to be a part of the horror stories that I’ve heard of the draft and the minorities of the draft.”

The purpose of this history lecture series to bring an understanding of the military’s past as it moves into the future.

“We can bring nationally recognized leader whether they’re historians, former or current military officers, or people who work at think tanks around the world. We’re able to bring them to Columbus, so they can share their expertise with our community and we can have a much richer understanding of U.S. military history and the role the military plays in the world,” said Dr. David Kieran, Col. Richard R. Hallock Distinguished University Chair.

Spring events:

•     March 11:“Fighting in the Desert: The American Civil War in the Far West,” a lecture by Megan Kate Nelson, Pulitzer Prize finalist for The Three-Cornered War: The Union, the Confederacy, and Native People in the Fight for the West”

•     April 4: “Economic Ties Between the U.S. and the Republic of Korea” feat. Stuart Countess (CEO, KIA Georgia), Rep. Drew Ferguson (GA-03), Ambassador Sangpyo Suh (Consul General, Korean Consulate in Atlanta), and Troy Stangarone (Korea Economic Institute of America)

Both 7p at Frank Brown Hall

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