How Greed Destroyed America’s Truck Empire

White Motor Company was once the crown jewel of American truck manufacturing, renowned for their military and commercial vehicles that symbolized unmatched reliability. From pioneering steam cars to building iconic wartime machines like the M3A1 scout car and M16 halftrack, White defined excellence in engineering for nearly a century.

But after WWII, the company shifted focus. What started as smart acquisitions soon spiraled into financial recklessness. By the 1970s, White was juggling too many brands and markets—from heavy trucks to mining equipment—without the infrastructure to support them. Mounting debt and mismanagement pushed the company to the edge.

In 1980, crushed by oil crises, market shifts, and corporate greed, White declared bankruptcy. Yet parts of its legacy lived on—Volvo Trucks, Western Star, and Autocar all evolved from White’s carcass. This video uncovers how a giant fell, and how its DNA still powers the trucking world today.
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