Max Hastings Reporting From Vietnam

**This is the full report**
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Ahead of the release of his new book, VIETNAM, Max Hastings introduces some clips of his reporting from the war.
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Vietnam became the Western world’s most divisive modern conflict, precipitating a battlefield humiliation for France in 1954, then a vastly greater one for the United States in 1975. Max Hastings has spent the past three years interviewing scores of participants on both sides, as well as researching a multitude of American and Vietnamese documents and memoirs, to create an epic narrative of an epic struggle. He portrays the set pieces of Dienbienphu, the Tet offensive, the air blitz of North Vietnam, and less familiar battles such as the bloodbath at Daido, where a US Marine battalion was almost wiped out, together with extraordinary recollections of Ho Chi Minh’s warriors. Here are the vivid realities of strife amid jungle and paddies that killed 2 million people.
Many writers treat the war as a US tragedy, yet Hastings sees it as overwhelmingly that of the Vietnamese people, of whom forty died for every American. US blunders and atrocities were matched by those committed by their enemies. While all the world has seen the image of a screaming, naked girl seared by napalm, it forgets countless eviscerations, beheadings and murders carried out by the communists. The people of both former Vietnams paid a bitter price for the Northerners’ victory in privation and oppression. Here is testimony from Vietcong guerrillas, Southern paratroopers, Saigon bargirls and Hanoi students alongside that of infantrymen from South Dakota, Marines from North Carolina, Huey pilots from Arkansas.
No past volume has blended a political and military narrative of the entire conflict with heart-stopping personal experiences, in the fashion that Max Hastings’ readers know so well. The author suggests that neither side deserved to win this struggle with so many lessons for the 21st century about the misuse of military might to confront intractable political and cultural challenges. He marshals testimony from warlords and peasants, statesmen and soldiers, to create an extraordinary record.
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Read more: www.maxhastings.com

[@Faceplantfloor]

"We are the unwilling, lead by the unqualified, doing the impossible, for the ungrateful." What an excellent quote.

[@adrianrosenlund-hudson8789]

Max Hastings book about Vietnam is superb. Well worth a read.

[@edcarson3113]

Avro Manhattans book is much better.

[@eldragon4076]

@@edcarson3113 Did you read Hastings book though?

[@lw3646]

I'm looking forward to reading it.

[@ThePierre58]

We had Max Hastings with us, 45 Commando Royal Marines as we yomped across the Falklands 40 years ago. Being a Marine, 1st class, I only saw him, but the NCOs told me he was a decent man.

[@juanshaftpatel7488]

did you win the war? the us cant win anything

[@darrengilbert7438]

​@@juanshaftpatel7488 they could if the politicians would let them.

[@juanshaftpatel7488]

@@darrengilbert7438 youare slaves to your maters, the politicains.. youre basically black

[@doug6500]

Max Hastings is a charlatan and a very poor historian.

[@paulmcdonough1093]

@@juanshaftpatel7488 we won the war the argies surrendered they had a lot more troops to than uk us british came 8000 m no air cover

[@Deluxedracula]

The commanding officer and kids in this unit seems like honorable people in a dishonorable situation

[@BallisticCoefficient]

Agreed

[@jackjohnsen8506]

there are no "Kids" in the US Army...those were thje people back in the States who refused to Go.....

[@hansg6336]

Max Hastings is the finest war historian I've ever read.

[@basilbradford6144]

I agree, his WW-II books are masterfully researched and impossible to put down.

[@algorithm4390]

He does seem like a stopped clock though....sometime between june 44 and may 45..!

[@lw3646]

I highly highly recommend atastrophe: Europe Goes to War 1914

[@theculturedthug6609]

David Irvings books are much better.

[@Chrisamos412]

It’s obvious why these men respected their CO, very good documentary

[@dabprod]

A good officer, hope he made it home.

[@sartainja]

He worked his way up through the ranks; he earned it the hard way.

[@jimlato663]

One of the best vietnam war videos i ever saw..its just like your there in the bush with that patrol..

[@Huy_Nguyen_USA]

I thank God for men like Lt. Burrelson.

[@remygarrison1451]

This is so good. Monotonous days but always on edge cause you never knew what was right around the corner. God bless these guys.

[@Radionut]

You sir have a voice like liquid honey. I just love the little bit of the accent and I actually came within a few days of actually meeting you in person in Vietnam. I was a radio operator there and that was a voice link between some of those outlying basis and headquarters. Love these clips

[@UTClassof]

my dad was a Marine Lt. Colonel and died in 1979. he had some of those silk maps. Did you see Lt. Borrelson hold one? My dad said it was so the VC didnt hear you folding up paper. He said the sound carried over the terrain there. You could hear everything. even the VC blowing their whistles. LOL

[@mikehoncho7252]

I like seeing the real people... Thank you for your service

[@MarkBravo-l7e]

Dad Told me about " Snatch's " In the war . Dad Got A Medal for it at Hue . It turned out to be a Navy Achievement medal with a V for Vallor or VD I think he was still pretty confused at the time.

[@michelnillesen6659]

He wrote one of the best books about the Vietnam War.

[@davehendricks7023]

This is why you don't use the draft unless it's a war at home.

[@ThuMinh-yl7rg]

.kd .

[@robertrishel3685]

There should be no wars but for defense of home. Period. Anything else is immoral aggression.

[@gangoffour6690]

If there is a war at home (revolution ) they won't have to draft patriots. We are all ready and always ready !

[@DRC-of2ci]

Without the draft we never would have won world war 2 and you wouldn't have a home to speak of

[@MrShaneVicious]

@@DRC-of2ci WW2 was total war and the US was attacked. Vietnam was US colonialism and the public did not support it.

[@Dressagevids]

Max's magnum opus "Vietnam" is a definate work

[@hundredcaws]

Soldiers who just want to go home. You can not win the war this way.

[@SosaSal_]

Wow are those sounds real actual sounds in the scenes?

[@1144ev]

They are real!

[@NikoHL]

Max.. It's as though you thought you were invincible!

[@michaelperry7559]

LT is a bad ass with discipline.....

[@dtrain1634]

When war reporters reported on war from the front not a news room 250 miles away 😮

[@kooperativekrohn819]

Iv listened to his books/audio books on audible , his cold war ones amazing

[@josefadams647]

Dan Carlin’a interview w him on Hardcore History brought me here. This guy is a legend.

[@styles3732]

1:07 obviously the sound track to some old war movie.

[@scott-qs6sp]

I wonder what year this fim was made

[@adg5456]

Pretty sure he said 1971 in the beginning

[@carpetfarmer]

That was a nice lift off @ 3:14

[@realvictor2oo7]

The artillery scared my cat :(

[@AdnanKhan-ty2sl]

I read his book on Vietnam, Hastings is amazing.

[@tekkhero9767]

Did he say ”recon by fire” ? Is that a standard option?!

[@gordonlandreth9550]

Yeah , they did it all the time to spoil ambushes , hit assembly areas or any place they could be hiding .

[@oldfan1963]

"THEY take one of OUR grenades..."

[@adamanderson6699]

Hastings' book details every mistake made in the American War and consequentially makes for a fantastic monitor stand

[@climbtherainbow]

5:10 - How many were cringeing as he started to unscrew that booby trap?!!

[@spinynorman1562]

Me, definitely! And I noticed the guy behind him suddenly decided to check out the view about 30 yards away.

[@shen7256]

It was a smoke grenade.

[@shen7256]

“Where each man”@14.16...I see two boys.

[@gordonlandreth9550]

18 year old men , my dear .

[@elbownesdam4024]

Max Hitler Hastings,,,,did a very interesting documentary analysis on the civilian evacuation / fleeing from Prussia during Ww2 as the Russians arrived wrecking havoc....a good historian ..👌🏻

[@Mk18_40mm]

What are you talking about

[@kerpal321]

this is depressing me and making me sad

[@phongthanhluu-ne6hq]

Indochina war 1950-1975s😢😂❤

[@caredesigns]

The longer the Vietnam war lasted, the longer the mustaches and hair got.

[@Ronnie-Jones]

The most forbidden documentary in history: archive.org/details/EUROPATheLastBattle

[@bnipmnaa]

@@Ronnie-Jones Shut it, prick.

[@davidstaudohar6268]

@@Ronnie-Jones Almost , ♦️♦️♦️‼️

[@olehippy13]

staches were the thing back then... medic in Nam 1972

[@70stunes71]

Which gave birth to the combat beards today lol

[@averyravenseye2651]

You have the balls to report from an active combat zone then I'm not one to nit pick on your voice. Very well done. Excellent questions with great responses. Cheers

[@koopsjunta]

My dad was there with 3RAR in 1971. Thanks for sharing these reports - vital historical journalism.

[@carpetfarmer]

To all the soldiers, correspondents, & people who tried to make a difference in Vietnam, ..Thank you very much for your service.

[@rubensolomon5701]

InstaBlaster.

[@tracya4087]

hear hear

[@sartainja]

Amen. Thank you for your service and welcome home. You are all heroes in my book.

[@juanshaftpatel7488]

@@sartainja they lost

[@Ozempic-666]

Thanks for the difference, bozos :)))

[@marcspardello1254]

Why is he apologizing for his broadcasting voice, I thought it sounded clear and professional - he did a fantastic job reporting

[@miguelsalami]

Out of all the wars in the past I find the Vietnam war the most unusual.🇺🇸 My 2 cousins served in nam and they both made it back home alive and in one piece thank God.

[@jimmykey5921]

I was lucky also. Oorah to.them..

[@miguelsalami]

@@jimmykey5921 Thank You for serving❗🇺🇸

[@jimmykey5921]

@@miguelsalami Thank you sir.It was an honour..

[@lynn-haroldthompson2644]

Just look at these young men and what they did for their country. They were never sure about what they were doing. They were brave. They were heroes for the wrong reasons.

[@danielreichert2025]

So many lost lives in that proxy war that did nothing but break hearts for the families Of the dead and those who carry it still 🤕

[@BOSIBA]

I am always sad and sorry to see so many young life lost for no reason others than to serve the ego of a few politician. Sad

[@pgroove163]

a waste

[@spockspock]

Max Hastings performed a wonderful task... documenting chaos that we may be informed.

[@michaelbaldwin5495]

In 1968 President Johnson had negotiated a peace deal and was working out some of the details.Nixon heard about it and sent his people to the South Vietnamese asking them to wait and he would get them a better deal.Our killed in action doubled,POW were held an additional 5 years.The wounded tripled.Google “The Chennault affair.”.🤬

[@ShaneMcBryde]

The absolute best book I've ever read on Vietnam was Max Hastings' 'Vietnam.'

[@Page-Hendryx]

I see you don't read much.

[@ericsierra-franco7802]

​@@Page-HendryxWhat's your recommendation?

[@lw3646]

The soliders just look exhausted. The terrain looks very tough too.

[@lostinpa-dadenduro7555]

Interesting that the guys made kind of improvised chest rigs with the ammo bandoliers.

[@stylz1]

That is literally their purpose.

[@BurtReynoldstash]

Thanks for posting this. As a child of the 70s I can remember watching these dispatches on the news. A great insight into the war.

[@theashpilez]

Yea, i remember seeing children on fire in news briefs during cartoons as a child. Very inspiring actually. Scarred me as a child for life. Nothing like watching our capatalizt system at work in full swing. Beware the military for profit industry. Here we go again. Poooof. Bye bye.

[@markothwriter]

Interesting, My good friend's father was in Vietnam as a pilot and his name was Hastings also. Colonel Eric Hastings.

[@w.rustylane5650]

USMC - 1969 to 1973; Viet Nam - '71 to '72. Ooooh Rahhhh, Semper Fi to all Jarheads. The Americal Division (23rd) was formed overseas in New Caledonia, and the name was taken from the American and Caledonia, thus the Americal Division. It was the only US Army division to have ever been formed overseas (during WWII). Their patch is the constellation, the Southern Cross. Just saying...

[@MrMaenambeach]

I don't know if it was a coincidence, but I noticed the blacks and whites were separate.

[@gordonlandreth9550]

A late war situation . The media helped push unrest at home , and it made it's way into the Army .

[@stijnvandamme76]

Just finishing up the book, it's defo has the comprehensive coverage of the entire SEA conflict front to back.. essential reading for anybody who ever had an interest in "vietnam"

[@johnrunion7258]

I was in and out of LZ West a few times in 68.My Aero Scout unit flew recon missions for the 11th,196th,and198th Inf operations in the Chu Lai AO.One of our scout LOACH pilots,Hugh Thompson was on such mission when he observed Calley's company firing on women and children,landed his ship and informed Lt Calley that he would fire on them if he continued the shootings.Many of these areas were designated free fire zones by Command and that is where the confusion starts.This is an excellent record of how most of the search and destroy mission strategy was on a daily basis.After My Lai was revealed, rules of engagement were stiffened and most units were reluctant to fire unless fired upon first,as some in the film eluded to.I believe this was the same area,only 2yrs later.This account is the real deal and a rarity,thanks for this record.

[@Anthony-qk9uu]

you is from u.s?

[@ALARFC51]

Around my time but different regiment & brigade, same I Corps AO and Americal Division. Bobby traps & friendly fire were the biggest casualty causes. .

[@BinhLe-bz2eu]

The truth about the Vietnam War that was never fully told. United States had No intention of winning the Vietnam War from the very beginning. Fear it might become like the Korean War with mass continuing Communist Chinese troops from China pouring against American military force in Vietnam. And the threat of a thermal nuclear War with the Soviet Union. The Vietnam War started during the Civil Rights movement and racial tension between whites and blacks all across America. Several members in the US government were segregationist and they had their eyes dumping their Blacks problem on Vietnam with the chaos that was happening in Vietnam at that time between Communist North Vietnam and South Vietnam. At that time, the South Vietnamese had 250,000 troops and North Vietnamese had 60,000 troops and the DMZ line had already been establish at the 17th parallel. Many Vietnamese peoples from both North and South did Not support going to War and killing each other over the idea of Communist. Even though several North and South Vietnamese leaders believe Vietnam should Not be divided and try to distrupt one another. But they couldn't rally enough support among the Vietnamese peoples in Vietnam to support going to War. Until Nov. 2, 1963 When US President JF Kennedy and LB Johnson order his CIA to stage a military coup assasination on a catholic South Vietnamese President, Ngô Đình Diệm and his young brother Ngô Đình Nhu. This action give America the power to do what ever they want to Vietnam and to the Vietnamese peoples. And the US appointed an ex-Vietminh soldiers for Ho Chi Minh, Nguyễn Văn Thiệu as their puppet South Vietnamese President. The South Vietnamese President who cause the lives of 500,000 South Vietnamese troops killed or capture by the North Vietnamese army and their communist allies The Pathet Lao army, and the Communist Khmer Rouge army of Cambodia when he order them to be station and patrol in Kampuchea. And who told Nguyễn Văn Thiệu to do so? The United States, fear more Americans troops will be killed in Kampuchea. 20 days after the military coup assassination of South Vietnamese President Ngô Đình Diệm and his young brother Ngô Đình Nhu. US President JF Kennedy was assasinated in Dallas, TX on Nov 22, 1963 and LB Johnson was sworn in as the 36th US President. On Aug 10, 1964, US President LB Johnson declare US military action to Vietnam over an alleged attack on a US destroyer, Maddox that was on patrol past the 17th parallel near Hanoi, the capital of North Vietnam. While supporting the South Vietnam. 500,000 US ground troops was sent to fight in Vietnam. 40% of those US troops that were sent to fight in Vietnam were adult blacks male along with high school drop out white male, non-college white male, trouble teen white male, and white convict male were all sent to fight in Vietnam. And when these US troops arrive in Vietnam and they did their "Search and Destroyed mission." The Communist North Vietnam gain mass support for their cause and their army grew from 60,000 troops to over 1,000,000 troops. On March 16, 1968, several group of US platoons military unit rape and massacre 500 Vietnamese villagers of women, childrens, and old peoples at the village called My Lai during their Search and Destroyed mission. When news and image of My Lai massacre broadcast all across America. There was a mass out cry of protest all across America. Demanding all US millitary force pull out of Vietnam. This lead to Republican Presidential candidate Richard Nixon winning the Nov. 3, 1968 US Presidential election. The following year, when Richard Nixon took office. His 1st excutive order was to pull out all US military force out of Vietnam. By then, the communist North Vietnamese army was already infiltrate all over in South Vietnam and attacking every since the Tet offensive that happen on Jan 30, 1968 - Sept 23, 1968. President Nixon order a nonstop US B52 bombers to bombed Hanoi, the capital of North Vietnam and its seaport military supply, Haiphong. This halted the advance of the North Vietnamese army taking over all of South Vietnam. The South Vietnamese army began retaking back many city and town from Communist North Vietnam in the South. But all that end, on August 8, 1974, when US President Richard Nixon made a televise annoucement of his resignation as US President to American peoples over the Watergate Scandal. This was a few months from the US Congressional election. On Nov. 5, 1974 The Democrats party won a landslide in the US Senate and the House of Representative. The following year in 1975, the newly elected Democrats took their seat in Congress. The 1st bill of law pass was to cut off all US military aids funding to South Vietnam. This action cause the Fall of Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam on April 30, 1975 to communist North Vietnam. Thus began a mass flow of Vietnamese refugee fleeing out of Vietnam. 10 of thousands of Vietnamese refugee died at sea from hunger, thirst, illness, Thai pirates, and Chinese warships. Today over 100's of thousands young South Vietnamese childrens are born of birth defect from the US toxic biological chemical, Agent Orange which the US military spray all over rivers and forest of South Vietnam. 3,000,000 innocent Vietnamese civilians of women, childrens, and old peoples had to die in their country during the Vietnam War. The Vietnam War is the worse United States War Crime in history. From Truman, JF Kennedy and LB Johnson were all were WWI and WWII veteran who sent the next young American men to become killers. Why I post this is because for years I'm tired Americans use Vietnam War as a Propaganda War story. Telling peoples that they there to help South Vietnam fight against communist North Vietnam. When America is the root cause for the Vietnam War and the downfall of South Vietnam. .

[@joeyjohnson4826]

I grew up was raised by men who fought in Vietnam. the movies and so much of the politics do not reflect how they felt. my uncle did four tours volunteered . my dad did two tours. his brother didn't make it through his first tour as he was wounded. none of them have the attitude as betrayed by movies and by so much of the historical politics. they did what they had to do and they don't regret it. none of them have flashbacks. none of them hate the military none of them hate their country. my uncle on my mom's side who did four tours he regrets that he couldn't help the Vietnamese mountain people more he has pictures of him with the kids. the mountain yard says he was special forces. he knew why he was fighting and he knows what happened to them when we betrayed them and left and it wasn't pretty that's his only regret that he couldn't help them more 😁🇺🇲

[@daniellap.stewart6839]

Your family is a exeption

[@pigpen5145]

@@daniellap.stewart6839 I don't think so. During the war, it was normal for people to support the nation and the war effort. It was only after the war, or during the latter part that the people of America started to turn against it. Some people who don't remember or were not around like to say that the news reporters were totally neutral about the war, but they were a large part of why the American people turned against it.

[@PaulR387]

Excellent Max, very clear and concise, glad you made it

[@simonruddle6511]

Max's film gives a real taste of the end of days feeling that those soldiers had. A war that was futile coming to an end. And that made it even more important not to be killed or wounded before the end of tour.

[@gwencunningham9184]

God we cannot complain

[@gwencunningham9184]

Bad

[@gwencunningham9184]

This is real

[@gwencunningham9184]

SHIT

[@sartainja]

Superb reporting that told the truth about the situation. The U.K. had better be thankful that it did not get involved in the quagmire of Vietnam.

[@joez7678]

Would like to know what year this piece was filmed. I was with alpha company 68 to 69 and remember HeipDuc being very active with many fire fights with NVA troops.

[@shen7256]

70 -71 from what I understand.

[@brucecamparmament3728]

So the narrator says My Lai happened 3 years ago. That would date this video around March of 71

[@wes11bravo]

Pittsburgh Steeler Rocky Bleier was a 196th LIB grunt and was wounded around Hiep Duc I think in 1969. Things were definitely more intense at that time than they were at the time this was filmed a few years later.

[@jzunno9476]

@@wes11bravo what company were you with ? Like I posted I was with Alpha Co, 4/31st, 196 th, Sargent Wilder was my platoon Sargent, he was killed in action in July 1969. I left the field on November 10th 1969 to go back to the world.

[@henryathurmanjr]

Good documentary!

[@leew1598]

Excellent report, the combination of words and images. It gives you an excellent point of view from the US soldier's perspective.

[@fastpublish]

Somehow Max looks and sounds older in Vietnam than he does now

[@stephenblake2196]

All you combat vets are the real STAR'S and should be treated the way NFL and those Hollywood SCUM bags take for granted??? ( HERO'S!! ) WELCOME HOME!! These ved's were presented well ??

[@duckhawkninja3614]

Why? Because they risked their lives in a fight they lost over a cause that was never just to begin with? A pizza guy in the inner city risks his life too. No weapons, bad area, everyone knows you’re carrying at least 20 bucks, probably more. But we don’t spend all our time kissing their asses now do we?

[@davidstaudohar6268]

🦅🇺🇸🦅 You have to ❤️ Love the Jolly GREEN GIANT ‼️ SEMPER FIDELIS 🦅🌎⚓ 3/3/3 ♦️♦️♦️‼️ #TRUMPTEAM1140103

[@marclayne9261]

A Noble Cause......Draft Number 71.....

[@falconmoose1589]

Draft number 261 after I was in for three months. I am glad you lived.

[@dbeaus]

(1). The higher highers did not have a Plan because there wasn't one that would work. (2). there was no such thing as a restricted fire zone. We shot at everything. A Colonel ask me if I knew where my free fire zones were and I pointed at the barbed wire and told him everything on the other side. I meant it. (3). the idea of calling in enemy dead when you found no one was done frequently. If you waited for permission to fire, you were already dead. Fire by recon just meant that you were firing without the vaguest idea of what or who was there. And, as one of my sgts. said to me, "does it matter?" (4). In conclusion, No you do not go home and live the rest of your life as before, you are never the same. Pretty picture of LZ West, but it looks a lot like LZ Center, where I was. We had 3 LZ's but they overran East before I got there and never rebuilt it. I bet that wasn't in the US papers. As always the honor goes to those who did not come back.

[@kitharrison8799]

Lt Borrison could have been a movie star.

[@jeffsmith2022]

We were all young, many years ago...

[@cadengreenberg6115]

All war is an epic tragedy

[@andrewschmidt6370]

1st LT Borisman seems like a tough dude. I have never seen a 1st LT lead a company, but I was an officer in a different time.

[@1144ev]

He was a Non-Com who got promoted. This was the end of the tour for him and I believe they promoted him to Captain just before he left the Company. I was there.

[@조금성-c8n]

보는 눈에 따라 베트남 전은 다르지요. 나는 갈등에서 시작하지만. 모두 동생같이. 아주 잘해요. 베트남은 시작부터 동생으로 두었는데 일본과 배신하고 시진핑에게. 해봤다. 결국 형에게 돌아오지 어데가. 허는 변한 적도 없는데. 그냥 배신. 참 한심하다. 기래도. 동생. 필리핀 깡패대장. 거기도 배신하지 말고 잘해요. 하하.

[@keithlillis7962]

Excellent reporting and the piece shows so well the absurdity of the final years of the Vietnam war and the disillusion of the mostly conscript troops, in an unwinnable war. No wonder there was so much PTSD in the aftermath.

[@SK-lt1so]

I read his book about Vietnam and he could never rationalize the relative success of the British in Malaysia and the USA in Korea , and condemning the USA's campaign in Vietnam in every aspect. Any observer in the early 1960's, looking at Korea and Malaysia, could reasonably have believed that Vietnam would be a similar, relatively short conflict that would result in at least a militarily stable South Vietnam.

[@gangoffour6690]

Great new footage I've never seen. The Lt. knows his shit 👍. Good job Max !

[@panthercreek60]

I very much enjoy Hastings books. He is an excellent and insightful historian

[@alexzabala2154]

The reporter looked and sounded like a Monty Python character

[@shadowwolf7622]

I was thinking the same !

[@70stunes71]

Inspired me to serve also. But at the same time, all those years over in the Middle East, I feel we accomplished the exact same thing as the Vietnam veterans probably felt.. nothing

[@birdcheat5351]

I am a little over half-way through this book and can definitely highly recommend it. Great read!

[@davidstaudohar6268]

Check out Lost in translation ‼️🦅🇺🇸🦅♦️♦️♦️

[@HistoricWrath]

You can criticize the War, but you should support the warrior (Calley is the obvious exception)

[@มดแดง-ฃ3ข]

ถูกต้องเลยฉันเหมือนคนวิทยุชี้เป้าทำการโจมตีตำบลกระสุนตกลูกไม่เคยคาดเป้าหมายแม่นทุกนัด

[@doug6500]

It's a shame Max Hastings ended up being an egotisitical git with about as much historical acumen as a 'squashed apricot'.

[@jackjohnsen8506]

Hastings was not the hero here, it was The poor troops who were forced to Go....US Army vet.

[@spm36]

Very interesting..I'm going to vietnam in March and will visit some of these sites..any vets here served around Hue?

[@peuramauriainen604]

Dont step a mine or something else EXPLOSIVE!!.. where is stamp "made in usa"

[@0101-s7v]

@@peuramauriainen604 Or China and Russia?

[@networth8754]

I recall walking through the mall in Columbus, GA years ago with an associate and he happened to glance over at a jewelry store at a short and rotund man and he asked me "do you know who that is?"' and I said no. He said that is William "Bill" Calley. I immediately recalled the incident. As Lt. Burrelson said "he was a weak officer."

[@trashpanda314]

Lt Coward retreated back to the Peachtree mall, eh? Guess he stayed in the area after he was on “house arrest” on main post at Benning.

[@sarawnat6631]

It is like a long-range reconnaissance agent.The reconnaissance configuration was full of lax.I never went to battle, but I studied military basics.This is laxity that I have never seen before.Performing daily missions such as bathing in battlefields requires surveillance.

[@stevenpetranyi2902]

The king of England is saying it's my father Gordon

[@needlepark212]

2:20 why is there a sign that says salute? Can anyone explain?

[@foxyjazzbopper]

Brilliant archive, Mr.Hastings makes war reporting look casual, in what must have been a terrifying location…. I salute you Sir🫡

[@LeotheOrangeCat]

Americal division

[@มดแดง-ฃ3ข]

ฉันรู้จักเธอเพียงเล็กน้อยเท่านั้น ไปถึงประวัติแต่ว่าเธออยู่ที่อุบลราชธานีจะเกิดที่ประเทศลาวนอกนั้นมันเป็นสิ่งที่ฉันคิดว่าน่าจะใช่

[@MarkBridger-u9b]

Max Hastings I believe was the first person into Port Stanley during the Falklands Campaign...the Paras were not happy...and let him now.

[@johnwalker4642]

Almost the same language used by the soldiers in these interviews as the plains soldiers of 1878 in america.

[@garyluck8502]

Thanks for your service and everyone that was there Thanks everyone please remember the ones that didn’t make it back home! Thanks

[@dmeinhertzhagen8764]

The whole absurdity and wastefulness of the Vietnam War condensed in 20 minutes. The Lt just called an White Phosphorus artillery strike on a civilian village because he saw movement and he casually proceed to say he’s a better officer than Cawley!

[@robmiller1964]

Wow thanks Max, I have read a number of your books and I never knew you were "So close to the real Action!", so to speak! Thanks. In hindsight we (The West) should have backed Ho Chi Ming; it was just because we didn't like the Commies and by all accounts he was a not so bad Commie! Silly really!-----Thanks once again Max, I have enjoyed reading your books! Wow!

[@neal2879]

Nothing wrong with your voice mate

[@blueduck9409]

Another case of media shaping the public view. If public opinion had be great and supportive, there would have been a different out come.

[@hectorjcm800]

Well looks like you haven´t heard a lot of Vietnam veterans talk about it. The US had no business in Vietnam and the youth paid dearly for it. And those words came from soldiers, not reporters.

[@blueduck9409]

@@hectorjcm800 Do you say that to all veterans that served in Nam?

[@blueduck9409]

@@hectorjcm800 Not all of us were draftees. Those of us that had careers in the military were doing what we joined to do. The war was unpopular because of draftees that would rather smoke dope than fight against communism, and liberal media types that would rather smoke dope than actually support something that the govt believed was the right thing to do. Not everybody was a dove dude.

[@hectorjcm800]

OK I'll assume you're saying the truth and you served your country and you did your job. I got nothing against that. Anyways, 50 years afterwards the global effects of the US foreign policy are pretty clear much beyond any media bias. Maybe you chose to view it just from a single perspective and think of certain people as lesser soldiers than you were. I was not there and I give you that, but I don't necessarily think that only draftees and dope smokers saw the conflict with a critical view. And even if they were, I don't think that their view is less valid than yours, one thing is for sure: war is hell and one doesn't need to be there to know the fact.

[@blueduck9409]

@@hectorjcm800 Have you ever seen the movie back to school, with rodney dangerfield? The college professor pretty much sums it up when he talked about the war in Vietnam. While that was a comedy sketch, there also happens to be a very real thread of truth in what Sam Kinnisons character says. You should watch it. If i knew how to put a link up for you to see it, i would.