Lai Massacre Essay

On March 16, 1968 a terrible massacre occurred at My Lai, called The My Lai Massacre. The following massacre should have never happened and the event's that followed the massacre are typical of any American wrongdoing. That's why it wasn't in my US History book. They covered it up and the people involved in the massacre received no punishment except for one soldier. My US History book: The Story of America Volume 2 doesn't even touch on this dark moment in US history. The closest that they

the most horrific acts in our history. The My Lai Massacre was a massacre by United States Soldiers that created controversy and anger throughout the world. It leads us to the question, was this avoidable? Was one of the worst massacres in Untied States history doomed to happen? Looking at the contents of this war, reviewing accounts from soldiers that have fought in the war, that were there on that day, there is a strong testimony that this massacre was indeed doomed to happen. More than five

suspended. Knowing the outcome of being insubordinate, individuals are usually obedient, even when they are in a situation that is morally wrong. Kelman and Hamilton, in their article, “The My Lai Massacre: A Military Crime of Obedience,” examine how Lt. Calley's unquestioning obedience resulted in the massacre of many women and children. Theodore Dalrymple, in his article, “Just Do What The Pilot Tells You,” asserts that there is a balance between when one should be obedient to orders or one should

Sanctioned massacres are massacres in which the targets of the mission have not threated the perpetrators of the violence, "The My Lai Massacre: A Military Crime of Obedience" written by Herbert C. Kelman and V. Lee Hamilton explains how this sanctioned massacre, resulting in over one hundred lost lives of unarmed citizens by US soldiers in the village of Son My (Kelman & Hamilton 131-132). The orders were traced back to a Lt. William Calley who was originally charged with most of the murdered in

Attacks stretched as far as the northern U.S. military installation, Chu Lai, down to the primary objective in the south, Saigon. The launch of such an intricate and fierce attack caught many U.S. commanders off guard because at the time, the potential of the Northern fighters was severely underestimated. In the years before, Saigon acted as a safe haven for many refugees trying to escape the horrors of war. The comfort of the city soon vanished when the North Vietnamese sent 35 battalions to

My Lai Massacre The Vietnam War was a conflict over several years in South-East Asia which saw more than 3 million civilians and soldiers killed. Public opinion within Australia about the Vietnam War moved through a number of stages over the 10 year involvement however, the initial acceptance was largely that of disinterest and there was little negative reaction to Australia’s involvement. One of the most ruthless incidents against civilians occurred in the war in Vietnam, when United States forces

After a year or so of living with her, I’d taken to checking movie review sites made for Christian parents to decide which movies their teenagers can and cannot watch before suggesting anything. One night, we watched a documentary about the My Lai Massacre, and she cried for two hours. She was upset about the

elderly persons. Right when the truths of the butcher influenced the opportunity to be known, reviled thing charges were brought against 30 officers, and there was a checked development in both family and remote weight to end the war. The My Lai Massacre is, to this day, still known to be one of the most horrifying acts of violence against neutrals that occurred during the Vietnam war. A company of American soldiers, under the order of their superior, violently attacked and killed most of the population

The United States Army, is not necessarily known for having a positive reputation in handling prisoners of war, the My Lai Massacre is one of the clearest instances of military improperly approaching situations. Notwithstanding the fact that Company C entered My Lai with the intent of suppressing insurgents, the tragedy that took place on March 16, 1988 was in fact an act of mass murder. This notion will be examined through three different lenses to depict that in all angles of this incident only

While we may never know the exact details of the My Lai Massacre, what is evident is that episodes like My Lai were reoccurring events throughout the war. This paper aims to contextualize the My Lai Massacre and the court-martial of Lieutenant Calley within the greater framework of America’s involvement in the Vietnam War. What drove the U.S. to intervene in Vietnam and how did