Don McCullin will focus on Vietnam for his final book, revisiting his iconic images from the war. His work includes powerful photographs from the battle of Hue in 1968, which influenced public opinion against the Vietnam War.
Key points
Don McCullin will focus on Vietnam for his final book
He revisits iconic images from the battle of Hue in 1968
His photographs influenced US public opinion against the Vietnam War
McCullin describes the battle as total madness and insanity
Mentioned in this story
Don McCullinVietnamHue
Tet offensive
After more than seven decades of covering conflicts around the world, Don McCullin will return to Vietnam and his best-known images for his final book.
The photographer, who got his start aged 23 when his image of a gang in Finsbury Park was published in the Observer, has decided to revisit the war and his 12-day stint with US marines during the battle of Hue in 1968.
McCullin’s photographs from the battle, including a shell-shocked American soldier, are among the most iconic images of the conflict and widely credited with helping to turn public opinion in the US against the war.
McCullin said he was still haunted by some of the photographs he took during one of the bloodiest and most notorious battles of the Tet offensive, which he described as “total madness and insanity”.
A soldier sitting down.
McCullin’s editor at the Sunday Times, Harold Evans, said the secret to his talent was empathy for his subject. Photograph: Don McCullin
“They bother me at night when I go to bed,” he said. “They come uninvited back to me and then I start saying: ‘Could I have done better? Could I have done this or done that?’ The actual battle I was in, the final big battle I was in 1968. I saw an awful lot of American soldiers getting killed very close to me.”
One of his editors at the Sunday Times was Harold Evans, who said McCullin’s secret ingredient was empathy for his subject – whether that was criminals in north London or guerrilla fighters in central Africa. He combined a “cold eye informed by the warmth of his empathy”, according to Evans.
Before he was dispatched to Vietnam, McCullin had cut his teeth shooting conflicts in the Congo in the bloody, chaotic lead-up to independence and in Cyprus, where he covered the . He was also present as the and the iron curtain was erected across Europe.
Q&A
What is the focus of Don McCullin's final book?
Don McCullin's final book will focus on Vietnam, revisiting his best-known images from the conflict.
What significant battle did Don McCullin cover in Vietnam?
Don McCullin covered the battle of Hue during the Tet offensive in 1968.
How did McCullin's photographs impact public opinion on the Vietnam War?
McCullin's photographs, including those of a shell-shocked American soldier, are credited with helping to turn public opinion in the US against the Vietnam War.
What year did Don McCullin start his photography career?
Don McCullin began his photography career at the age of 23, which would place the start of his career around 1958.
OnlyFans 'agents' control and threaten creators while taking half their earnings, BBC finds
OnlyFans creators are facing abuse and threats from agencies that control their earnings, with one creator reporting violent attacks. These agents take half of the creators' earnings while exerting control over their personal lives.
An American soldier shelters from sniper fire in an abandoned home. Photograph: Don McCullin
He retired from war photography aged 75, when he visited Aleppo in Syria and was no longer mobile enough to quickly duck out of harm’s way if needed. Since then he has published books about his other passions, including ancient Rome.
So why go back to that war for his final book, which is called Vietnam. Why not revisit his work in Belfast or Biafra? “Because of all the wars that have been raging in the last 20, 30 or 40 years, there was no war like Vietnam,” he said. “Sadly, 58,000 American soldiers died and 300,000 were wounded. It was an extraordinary American misadventure.”
McCullin made 16 trips to Vietnam. His new book includes 100 images and the accoutrements of war, including his helmet with “Times England” emblazoned on the side and his muddied compass.
McCullin, who is now 91, is arguably the most celebrated living British photographer. He has had a retrospective at Tate Britain, touring shows of his work have crisscrossed the globe and he has continued to work from his base in Somerset.
A soldier.
The book will feature more than 100 images of the Vietnam war. Photograph: Don McCullin
While his photography often brought the horrors of war to wider public attention and in many cases helped to build a moral case for ending conflicts, he is not convinced about the power of his images to effect change.
“I’ve made absolutely no impact whatsoever,” he said. “I’ve come away with these pictures and they were published and people were shocked to see them. But look at the wars that have happened since the Vietnam war. They’ve all been misfortunate too. I’ve been to many wars in Lebanon, and it’s still going on. How could I make a difference, really?”
The book will be released in October via Gost books.
