Customer Reviews

Hidden Heroism: Black Soldiers In America's Wars

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I highly recommend this book if you are interested in understanding the contribution of African-American in U.S. wars. I am a former Army officer and an African-American. Until I read this book I never knew the extent that African-American's heroism despite being oppressed by their fellow soldiers and civilians. I appreciate Mr. Edgerton's efforts in researching facts that where previously forgotten or otherwise went untold for many year.

In writing a book which attempts to cover all of the history of black soldiers in "America's Wars", obviously not every black combat unit can be mentioned much less discussed. But here, Edgerton purports to recognize the "hidden heroism" of America's black soldiers. That he has failed in his book to uncover the astounding WWII combat accomplishments of the US Army's 452nd Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA)(colored[sic]) Battalion provides evidence that even now, where the combat record of a combat-specialized all-black Battalion surpassed the record of comparable white units, those records remain "hidden" -- very deeply hidden. But even the fact that the number of attacking German warplanes which the 452nd shot down as confirmed "kills" - 68 -- exceeds that of any white AAA Battalion operating in the European Theater is just the tip of the "hidden" iceberg.

But little can be totally "hidden" in these days of online research, and Edgerton would have found the 452nd's record in bits and pieces throughout the Internet if he had bothered to try. Maybe he will next time.

This is a must read for all men and women of the Armed Forces, especially African Americans. If there is any question of the service,sacrifice, and loyalty of the African man and woman to this country over the years here is the answer. This is history that should be told over and over again. Very eye opening.

Two of the saddest things about Hidden Heroism are its title and its length. Meaning first, that the information it contains should be widely known, and second, that had this country not been so godawful to its black citizens over the centuries, the history of blacks in America's armed forces would fill several, much thicker volumes.

As it stands, Robert Edgerton has produced a fine history of black people's contributions to America's war efforts, and of all the things that make those contributions particularly remarkable. That is, given slavery; neoslavery; Jim Crow; a post-Civil War military culture dominated by white Southern bigots that not only limited opportunities for black soldiers, but made sure that they served under abominable conditions and with wretched equipment; a more national hatred of blacks and dismissal of their abilities and sacrifices, and even of their humanity; white soldiers' and civilians' extreme violence against black veterans like Isaac Woodard, and against black people in general; the poverty from which black soldiers often came and to which they returned--it is simply astounding that blacks not only fought for America before about 1980, but fought so incredibly well and bravely. Edgerton brings this home in a well-written, eye-opening book that, by the way, also details the contributions of blacks in foreign armies.

(Incidentally, Barnes & Noble publishes this book, which may be why you can't buy it on Amazon. But it's readily and inexpensively acquired at the former.)

UPDATE (12/10/2009): Looks like Amazon is selling Hidden Heroism again. And to make explicit what I only hint at above: The book is essential reading for anyone interested in U.S. history, whom I would hope would be all of us.

book tries to shed light on forgotten contributions that blacks have made to building america.