The Vietnam War : The My Lai Massacre

Imagine, waking up to your neighbors and family being brutally murdered. You manage to escape, and later find out that those responsible for the massacre of your community have gotten off, scot free. When people commit a horrible crime, we expect there to be consequences. Son My is a village that had been heavily mined by the Viet Cong, a communist organization that fought against the South Vietnamese government, many American soldiers had been killed or injured by those mines. Seeking “revenge”, on March 16, 1968, American soldiers from the C Company division went into a smaller part of Son My called My Lai and murder over 400 innocent people. The My Lai massacre was a horrible crime committed by U.S soldiers from C Company division, they

The My Lai massacre was located in part of the village of Son My. There were a company of American soldiers that had brutally killed practically the whole majority of south vietnamese hamlets population of the My Lai on March in the year 1968. Though we aren't for sure the exact number still it is told that as many as 500 people, this is including women child and some of the elderly, were killed in the My Lai Massacre. The U.S. Army board in the 1970s had charged 14 officers for crimes that were related to the events at My Lai, though only one had been convicted. For the brutality killing in in My Lai and the extent of the cover-up had been the reason for the sentiment on the home front for us the U.S. and then it divided the nations over

Though Ridenhour did not learn about the My Lai massacre until a year after it took place he immediately wrote a letter to current president, Richard Nixon, who began an investigation. However, the events in the small Vietnamese village did not come to the public’s attention until Haeberle, who had been present at the time of the massacre, published pictures in Life and Time magazines toward the end of 1969 (Cookman 159). As previously discussed, most coverage of Vietnam in the early

This historical event is related to C.P. Snow ’s quote, because there are people following orders and does not know what they are doing is wrong. We have committed many hideous crimes out of obedience instead of rebellion. The soldiers that was in the My Lai Massacre were just following the orders that were given to them. They do not know that those innocent women and children are not the Viet Congs and the soldiers believed that they were the Viet Congs.

The Olson and Roberts book, My Lai is based upon the March 18, 1968, assault on My Lai. By examining the material, an explanation of why this massacre occurred is drawn. The main factors that lead to the My Lai assault were difficulty engaging with the enemy and the problem of distinguishing between the enemy soldiers and civilians, which both led to rage and frustration among soldiers and a misinterpretation of the mission.

Before we ask about My Lai Massacre, we need to know what is My Lai Massacre the My Lai massacre is My Lai massacre has indiscriminately shot unarmed civilians during the Vietnam War. The genocide was the duty of an officer of Charlie Company in the United States to lead a team in search of Vietnam. Their teams occupied a place called My Lai and slaughtered civilians under the direction of the high commander. Charlie Company entered South Vietnam in December 1967. In the first month there was no fighting, but in mid-March, five members of the team were killed by booby traps. Moreover, Vietnam’s 48th Battalion attacked US forces in the South Vietnam. The place of the incident occurred not far from where civilians live. This time, the US military was very angry and determined a massive counterattack the villages. Colonel Oran K Henderson orders Charlie Company to commit a massacre. The civilians who lived there were mainly woman, children and the elderly. American soldiers cruelly murdered and mocked them after receiving get permission. In the massacre more than 500 civilians were slaughtered and many women were raped and murdered. They attempted to conceal the events they had committed and led to an antisense sentiment that further divided the United States during the Vietnam War. However, some US military testimonies make their world known to their cruelty, including genocide and rape. In this paper, I will write down things about the behavior of the US

The Cambodian Genocide initially started during the vietnam war. Cambodia was practically in the middle of it working neutral. They still got bombed many times though, mostly from the US and communism eventually began trying to change something but what really happened was the Cambodian Genocide of the 20th century. The genocide ended with over 2,000,000 deaths. (P.P.I.C.)

March 16 1968 in the morning hours, American soldiers from Company C, 1st Battalion, 20th Infantry, 11th Infantry Brigade, systematically and intentionally shot, raped and killed 504 innocent civilians; men, woman, children and grandparents. William Calley, the commanding officer during the massacre ordered his men to round up everyone

On March 16, 1968, over 300 unarmed civilians were killed in South Vietnam during an indiscriminate, mass murder event known as the My Lai Massacre. Conducted by a unit of the United States Army, the My Lai Massacre ranked one of most appalling atrocities carried out by US forces in an already savage and violent war. All victims involved were unarmed civilians, many of which were women, children, and the elderly. Victims were raped, tortured and beaten, even mutilated before being killed. The massacre was forever seared into the hearts and minds of the American people as the day “the American spirit died.”

On the morning of March 16th the company moved in. They were instructed by Lieutenant William Calley to shoot every living thing in sight, from animals to babies, for the animals would feed the Vietcong and the babies would one day grow up to be them. From many soldiers’ accounts, non-of the people shot that day seemed to pose any threat to the American soldiers. In fact, women, children and old men made up a huge majority of the victims. Barely any weapons were found and according to most of the soldiers the Vietnamese people were trying to cooperate but there was the barrier of language. When the soldiers yelled things in Vietnamese they weren’t even sure if they were saying the right thing because Vietnamese is a language based on inflection in the voice. LT Calley ordered his soldiers to kill all of the Vietnamese in massive slaughters. They were herded into big groups, and some groups were forced into ditches and then fired upon. “The few that survived did so because the were covered by the bodies of those less fortunate.” (Linder) After the massacre was over there was an extensive cover-up, the commanders even reported My Lai as a success with 123 enemy deaths and some weapon recoveries. It wasn’t until a man named Ronald Ridenhour,

The Vietnam War was first derived from the gradual oppression of the communist party of the north over the region of South Vietnam. The North Communist party was supported mainly by China and the Soviet Union whiles the Anti-Communist party of South Vietnam was supported by United States and France. The communist party group, as known as the Viet Cong, was recognized for their guerilla war strategies within the region of South Vietnam, intended to fully expand and unify Vietnam under Communist rule. U.S. involvement with the Vietnam War starting in November 1, 1955, develops from the theory of the domino effect, stating that if one country falls into communism, a threat that can develop into the encouragement and spread of communism throughout the world in the future. It is basically viewed as a potential harm to the welfare of the United Sates. Therefore, due to the conflicting forces of the historical, political, economic and cultural nature of the war itself, it is known to be the longest enduring war in United States history that altered many lives of the Vietnamese and American community, leading to suffrage and acts of courage.

To succeed politically within South Vietnam itself the United States had to ‘win the hearts and minds of public’. However the atrocities which had struck Vietnam, caused disarray with the public of Vietnam, one case where this is true was the Massacre at My Lai in March 1968; this was the killing of 300 villagers mainly women and children who were raped, murdered, and mutilated; this was carried out by American soldiers who thought the villagers were supposedly harbouring Vietcong. Lieutenant William Calley was charged with the crime but only served

On March 16, 1968. Charlie Company was ordered to enter the Hamlet of My Lai to clear out the Viet Cong's forty-eighth battalion that was believed to be in the vicinity. The soldier's mission would be to engage the forty-eighth battalion and destroy the village of My Lai. The attack was to begin at seven-thirty in the morning. Military leaders believed the women and children would be out of the village heading for the local market by this time, leaving only the Viet Cong. The soldiers were ordered to explode brick homes, set fires to thatch homes, shoot livestock, poison wells, and destroy the enemy.

The Vietnam War was one of the bloodiest wars in the history of Vietnam. Vietnam use to be a peaceful country until the idea of communism started spreading across Vietnam. Many wanted to stay democratic but saw what happened to the Germans and started to lean towards communism. Many also wanted to stay democratic and still had it hopes high that it will soon get their lives and economy back on track.

Unfortunately whenever you ask an American about Vietnam there first thought ultimately goes to the Vietnam War. Little do they refer to modern day Vietnam or are aware of current events. I know this because I conducted a 25 person questionnaire. Yes, 25 people is a very small amount and doesn’t extend through every age group I am aware of this, but over the years from my personal prospective of Americans that is all I have really ever perceived. It is important to realize that Vietnam like any other country in the world; has a long extensive history which is important to recognize to understand a cultures past. This also provides a trend to where that country is headed based on its history. This is known as future studies. For what is a man without a past and a past without consequence? The past is great and vast especially when it comes to specific man let alone a country. Vietnam’s past doesn’t come without consequence those consequences are what we know as modern day Vietnam. Speaking of modern day Vietnam, I interviewed a Vietnamese man my age (20), whose full name is Viet Anh Nguyen. His background is vastly different than mine mainly because of his cultural upbringings. Anyone with a different upbringing will be different whether your 1 foot away or 100 miles away. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from you will always be different from everyone you meet. So why not get to know your difference’s to create similarity and create serenity? This question is