Forged in Battle?: Life in South Africa's 32 Battalion, 1975-1993

Traces 32 Battalion’s history, exploring its combat role, social dynamics, and ties to apartheid.

Forged in Battle? tells the story of black soldiers, led by white officers, fighting on the side of apartheid. It traces the history of the unit from the Angolan civil war in 1975 to its disbanding a year before the fall of apartheid in 1993.

As veterans of the Angolan civil war, many of the soldiers of 32 Battalion had no choice but to bring their families with them when they joined the army. Th...