THE MY LAI MASSACRE

Lobj: to understand why My Lai

was important to the Vietnam War

Search and destroy missions

• Terrifying and morale destroying

• Many soldiers became trigger happy

• Even set fire to Vietnamese homes

• Regarded the Vietnamese people as sub human

– and blamed them for their friends deaths.

• Soldiers – v. Young. Average age of just 19!

MY LAI MASSACRE

• March ’68 – unit of soldiers called Charlie Company were sent on a search & destroy mission.

• Told that Son My (village in My Lai) was VC fortress – 200 guerrillas there.

• Leaflets had been dropped warning all non VC to flee

• Soldiers ordered to destroy all houses, foodstuffs & livestock.

• Were told villagers would be at market by 7am (sat) – many were under the impression they had to kill everyone.

• Commanders were assured – either VC or VC sympathisers

MY LAI MASSACRE

• My Lai was a small hamlet (a small settlement,

generally one smaller than a village) of Son My

• The assault began at 8am – led by Lieutenant

William Calley

• The US met no opposition, entered the village

and went berserk

• Many were killed – women were gang raped –

some had the initial C carved into their bodies

A photograph taken at My Lai on 16th March 1968.

MY LAI MASSACRE

• In 4 hours over 400 civilians were killed –

mostly women, children and old men.

• No VC were found – only 3 weapons.

• At the time the army treated this as a

success – said only 20 civilians killed; rest

were VC

Lt. CALLEY

• When one soldier refused to kill the

Vietnamese, Calley took his gun and shot

them

MY LAI MASSACRE

• 12 months later – ’69 – a letter arrived in

offices of 30 politicians

• Written by Ronald Ridenhour – US soldier

who served – said he “had evidence of

something dark and bloody”.

• Life magazine soon published pictures

MY LAI MASSACRE

• Investigation soon followed – Lieutenant William Calley on trial for mass murder.

• Sept 69 – he was charged with murder of 109 people.

• Army blamed Calley and denied he was acting under orders –sentenced to 20 years (released 1974 having served 3 years)

• MY LAI – deeply shocked US – clearest evidence the war had gone WRONG.

• November 1969 – 700,000 anti war protestors demonstrated – largest in US history.

Why did 1st platoon massacre

the villagers of My Lai?1. Unclear orders which emphasized killing

2. They were told only the VC would be there

3. Racist attitude towards the Vietnamese people

4. Desire to revenge fallen friends

5. Frustration as they could not find the enemy

6. Poor officers – Calley was a college dropout

7. Poor leadership who ‘turned a blind eye’ and tried to cover up problems

8. Body count = success

9. Inability to communicate with the villagers

10. Vietnam was a brutal and brutalising war of mass killing and destruction

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQ1yTf

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• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0z_nfz

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