Episode Details

In this wide-ranging conversation, Karl Marlantes—Marine infantry officer, Navy Cross recipient, and author of Matterhorn—reflects on the Vietnam War and the enduring lessons America has failed to absorb. Drawing on combat experience, literature, and decades of reflection, Marlantes discusses leadership under pressure, moral injury, civil wars, warrior identity, postwar reintegration, and how modern conflicts from Iraq to Ukraine echo Vietnam’s unresolved truths. This interview explores not just how wars are fought, but how they shape individuals, institutions, and national memory.