Vietnam in the wartime through a German photographer’s lens

Coming to Vietnam in 1960-1970, photographer Bill Thomas Hardt recorded the brutal scenes of war.

Thomas Bill Hardt, 77, is a famous German photo journalist for his authentic photographs of the wars in Vietnam, Palestine and Nicaragua...   From 1962 to 1985, he came to Vietnam 12 times. Witnessing the devastation of war, Thomas said: "The essence of photography is not only to record the final image, but also focus on the circumstances of the shooting."   He has a priceless collection of pictures of Vietnam in the wartime. The photos are categorized into topics such as the war in 1972, the border war in 1979, American aviators, South Vietnam ... In 1999, he opened an exhibition of the Vietnam War in Hanoi.   His photos move viewers. In the picture: A ruined village after a raid.   Above all, Bill Thomas Hardt focused on people – Vietnamese civilians, the victims of war.   Wounded people in a bomb shelter in a cave.   He took many pictures at the hospital. In the picture: A nurse held the hand of a patient.   A woman and her newborn child.   A woman closed her nephew’s eyes.   These photos were taken in North Vietnam in 1972.   He said: "I witnessed both the joy of triumph and trauma of people across Vietnam."   Build a temporary bridge to replace the steel bridge that had been devastated by bombing.   His photos are considered invaluable archives of the Vietnam War. In the picture: A female guerrilla escorted an American POW.   Since the 60s, the photographs of Vietnam made a name for Thomas Bill Hardt and brought him prestigious awards. They appeared on many famous magazines in the world.

T. Van, VietNamNet Bridge

File photos of Bill Thomas Hardt