Colonel David Hackworth Criticizes US Effort in Vietnam War (Issues and Answers Interview)
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- On June 27, 1971, Colonel David Hackworth, one of the most decorated living soldiers in the United States Army, gave his candid thoughts on the American war effort in Vietnam in an interview with ABC News.
The interview was highly controversial and led to Colonel Hackworth's forced retirement from the Army.
The full unedited text of this interview can be found at the end of Colonel Hackworth's autobiography, "About Face: The Odyssey Of An American Warrior," which is recommended to anyone interested in learning more about his life & career.
An excerpt: “I have seen the American nation spend so much of its wonderful, great young men in this country. I have seen our national wealth being drained away. I see the nation being split apart and almost split asunder because of this war, and I am wondering to what end to is all going to lead to.”
Copyright © 1971 ABC News
This video is for educational purposes only.
All the videos, songs, images, and graphics used in the video belong to their respective owners and I or this channel does not claim any right over them.
Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing.
I knew Hack in 68-69. A great leader of men and selfless. A truth teller and didn't go along to get along.
Hackworth is my great uncle, my family made me listen to his books on tape before i joined the army
My dad served under your uncle. He always said that he was the BEST leader he ever had the privilege to work with. btw my dad served from 1942 to 1973. That tells you something!
You're gay
Would have been good to have a high caliber leader like Hackworth when I served in the Nam. Hack was spot on about the war and was censored for it. A soldiers soldier who led from the front. learned understood and implemented the "out gurellia the gurellia" jungle tactics to his men in the delta. It was a kickass success but to late in the war and higher ups didn't listen. Hack and SLM Marshall wrote a book especially for the Army on Jungle warfare called the Viet Nam Primer. Its a highly sought after out of print book which commands a high price but worth it to anyone who fought or studies that war. Steel my soldiers hearts; About Face; Hazardous Duty; are recommended readings on what the Nam war was like for the Grunts who fought it, and for a first class leader of men like Col. Hackworth. RIP Col. Hackworth! 11Bravo Sir!
John Paul Vann thought the same way. He got to know the people and really understood the difference. Hackworth saw the prosecution of this war going south and not getting better.
I love your post sir. Made so much sense. Thank you fir your service. Welcome home.
Thank you for your service
Hack was a great patriot. If you have not yet read "About face," you need to... A cautionary tale...
Agreed..
A great read and a great American patriot. I never understood my Dad’s attitude about regular officers until I read his book. RIP.
I met him twice in the early nineties. Helluva guy. Very friendly and engaging. More than happy to answer every question I asked him.
I read about face. I searched a long time for this video and would have liked to see it in the full version. Thanks for showing it. I spent 12 years in the military from 1972 to 1984. I figured this video was supressed and not allowed to be seen. Hack watched a great Army in 1965 be so deteriorated by 1970. Lyndon Johnson knew the truth about the Gulf of Tonkin and 58,000 died in vain over a lie, and a war we should have never been in. Hack said it was the toughest war America ever fought and I believe he was right.
His book ABOUT FACE, is a must read.
It literally changed my life.
I've been looking for this forever. Thanks!
Same here!
I read the book quite a few years ago and I remember scouring the internet for this famed interview that cost him the job, but to no avail. Just today I came across the book About Face in my library and went to YT to check if something would come about - and then lo and behold - it's nice to see the man himself - although in the book - only the last part (the Honda...) is in the transcript - the major part spoken in this video is not in the book itself (the Warlord part). Would really be great to get the entire video from somewhere. Thank you for this.
Wow! You found it!!!!! Thank you so much. I've been looking everywhere for this bit of film for a long time. Where did you get it?
This was an archived copy I found. This is only a partial clip, I couldn't find the full interview anywhere
I've been looking for this for years. I read About Face during Desert Shield and bought my own after we came home after the war, along with his other books. He was a voice of reason in a crazy world. RIP
He Was a Soldier Not a Politician.
I got his book Steel My Soldiers' Hearts. 3 Chapters in, really good so far. Definitely a hero.
ive been waiting for this video.
I have been looking for this interview for sometime. I have jocko willing to thank for introducing me to hackwork. David had his flaws as all men do, but he excelled as a soldier and a leader. I have read about face quite a few times and tired to apply it in my life.
Been looking for this since reading About Face
The painful irony is that, that very speech could've been given yesterday, and been every bit as relevant, if not more.
Agreed, hacks ability to apply Lessons Learned were effective in his strategy. Unfortunately then as well as today nothing is learned and Vietnam's continue, war after war after war. The corrupt politician's who start wars are being outed hopefully,the American people are starting to see and understand what these "wars" are and what they really generate. 1. Money;2. Power
@@Americal-v6r Amen... I think a LOT of people, American (and other countries) are starting to see just how deep the corrupt truly is. The problem is that what is left to do about it, at this point. *It's been made crystal clear that using laws, and an election system to fight filth who's corruption is SO BONE-DEEP that they refuse to "acknowledge", nor respect either of those institutions, will NOT work, because they either control, or have weaponized, both. When things get that bad, there's only one solution left. And, that's a horrifying reality.* 60million people died ridding the world of that EXACT...SAME....FITLH (one of them being my own grandfather). And, now look where we're at. We have deep-rooted antisemitic issues at literally EVERY....SINGLE....Ivy League school in America. We're in for some indescribably, dark days, friend.
I read About Face, a considerable book in a matter of days, when I was a lieutenant
A true American patriot and one of the few who put his honor ahead of the orthodoxy. A real soldier's soldier and one of a kind. Here's a great short clip of him as well.
ua-cam.com/video/qcMrfnu5Dpg/v-deo.html
And a short military bio of this man's man:
Colonel Hackworth lied to enlist in the Army at 15 and won a battlefield commission at 20 to become the Korean War's youngest captain. He was America's youngest full colonel in Vietnam, and won a total of 91 medals, including two Distinguished Service Crosses, 10 Silver Stars, 8 Bronze Stars and 8 Purple Hearts.
Spot on.
My father was a Major with the 5th Inf(Mech) on the DMZ 69/70 at Alpha 4.
Ain't nobody gonna talk about the beginning of this video? 😂
Correct sir. It should not only be addressed by all those in attendance, but also by a special board of our peers.
How did you find this? Where can I find the full thing?
It was on a television archive site. This is the only copy I could find
STUD!
Can't remember if in About Face or Steel My Soldier's Hearts, Hack said something like the US forces couldn't stand the ARVN. I remember reading about a sort of unspoken agreement between the ARVN and the NVA, "you don't shoot us, we won't shoot you" and the NVA would wait on the US forces. Maybe someone who was there can verify? And remember Hackworth's predication of the fall of Saigon was very close to the actual date.
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With all due respect sir, we had no business in Vietnam. Almost 60,000 American lives and untold hundreds of thousands on the communist side lost for absolutely nothing.
Which was what Col. Hackworth was getting at-- the United States sent people to Vietnam without a cause to fight for, whereas the people of North Vietnam were crystal clear about why fighting and dying were worth it. As Defense Secretary Robert McNamara (and probably Pres. Johnson and later Pres. Nixon) discovered and somehow could not accept, Vietnam was a civil war into which the U.S. inserted itself, not some 'domino' in a fear-mongering theory of Communism. So neither the French colonial power that gave up in 1954 nor the U.S. anti-communist power that took over the fight could hope to win. Hackworth went into it as just a soldier doing his duty and left an enlightened warrior conscious of the broader context and the imbecility and wastefulness of the involvement.
@@eduardohope4909 Well with all due respect, Hackworth was talking about the ARVN (South Vietnamese army) not having a cause to fight for.
@@Page-Hendryxif you read About Face you know what he was for. It's as said above, he went in as an patriot soldier to do the only thing he was passionate about - serving his country. After couple years he became disillusioned to the state of things and lack of purpose for the war effort. In specific lack of purpose of sending American youngsters to die in a hopeless war fought without clear goals or right strategies, tactics or politics.
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B' Co 1'st plt
81/85
Did come across an opinion that it was all about control of the south China sea oilfields
The Cong were still around in ‘71? Hm.
The Hack!
some of the things in Apocalypse Now were loosely based on some of his activities
Hackworth never earned the RANGER TAB. His unit was attached to the RANGERS for one operation in KOREA but attached doesn't make you a RANGER. He had to return 36 medals he did not deserve. He got alot of men killed 2/71966 because he didn't know what he was doing
John Pagel B 1/327 101st ABN 1965-1966
Were you in the tiger force?
@@robertisham5279 My company fought with them
Like all commanders he had a lot of responsibility. It might be true that he got some men killed but I think it is well understood that he was a capable commander due to all of his commendations and references. He also saved a lot of men's lives in Korea and Vietnam and a lot of people vouch for him. I looked up your credentials and I couldn't find much in terms of citation. If i remember correctly though, your battalion was the one that tried to frag the colonel right? So i am not surprised that you have bad things to say about him.
Also I just researched the ranger tab that you are referring to and Hackworth worked/served with a Ranger Company in Korea. Back then you could wear the tab if you were in more more than 30/90 days in a combat zone. Later on the requirements tightened to requiring the school.
Bud, having a Ranger tab doesn't make you a Ranger. Being in Ranger Regiment does. Don't pass on misinformation to civilians watching this. And why do you feel the need to gatekeep Rangers considering how you are not one? Return 36 medals my ass, those are awarded to you - you don't get them on your own accord. Yes if you're in intense combat, men under your command are going to be KIA.
Joseph, thanks so much for featuring this great patriot and thinker. He was so truthful, incisive. 🫡💛