British newspapers and TV news regularly report the death of yet another soldier in Iraq. It seems as if every other day there is another casualty in this war. Obama has said he intends to make good on his word to remove all American soldiers from Iraq.
Thank goodness South Africa is not part of this. Our boys are not dying in a war.
But that’s not to say we haven’t had our own troubles. Much like Ireland, during the Apartheid era we had vigilante and legitimate armies battling each other for control.
Back when the ANC was banned, they had an army known as Umkhonto we Sizwe. Which means – Spear of the Nation. MK, as they were known, had camps and bases in our neighbouring countries. Their aim was to liberate the African people.
The South African government had it’s own army and there was compulsory conscription for all white males when they completed their schooling. These young men on both sides were fighting a war on the borders. Many of those boys did not cope with the horrors of war. We all know someone who is damaged from the experience. Today both armies are one. The two merged when the ANC was unbanned and the New South Africa was created. One day the soldiers were enemies and the next they were on the same side.
I wasn't around in the 80's to experience conscription and what not, it seems like quite a mind shift? Enjoyed the read none the less.
Keep telling that history:
Read the novel, Rescue at Pine Ridge, "RaPR", where Buffalo Bill Cody meets a Buffalo Soldier. A great story of black military history…the first generation of Buffalo Soldiers.
How do you keep a people down? ‘Never' let them 'know' their history.
The 7th Cavalry got their butts in a sling again after the Little Big Horn Massacre, fourteen years later, the day after the Wounded Knee Massacre. If it wasn't for the 9th Cavalry Buffalo Soldiers, there would of been a second massacre of the 7th Cavalry.
Read the novel, “Rescue at Pine Ridge”, 5 stars Amazon, Barnes & Noble and the youtube trailer commercial…and visit the website http://www.rescueatpineridge.com
I know you’ll enjoy the novel. I wrote the story that embodied the Native Americans and African-American/Black soldiers, from the south to the north, in the days of the Native American Wars with the approaching United States of America. This story is about, brutality, compassion, reprisal, bravery, heroism and gallantry. The story shows the truism to the fullest of a PG-14 perspective…with a DVD release to show the fullest reality of war. Read the novel, Rescue at Pine Ridge, the story of the rescue of the famed 7th Cavalry by the 9th Cavalry Buffalo Soldiers.
Also the novel was taken from my mini-series movie of the same title, “RaPR” to keep my story alive. Hollywood has had a lot of strikes and doesn’t like telling our stories…its been “his-story” of history all along…until now. The movie so far has attached, Bill Duke directing, Hill Harper, Glynn Turman and a host of other major actors in which we are in talks with…see imdb.com at; http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0925633/
When you get a chance, also please visit our Alpha Wolf Production website at; http://www.alphawolfprods.com and see our other productions, like Stagecoach Mary, the first Black Woman to deliver mail for Wells Fargo in Montana, in the 1890's, “spread the word”.
Peace.