The My Lai Massacre, also known as the Son My Massacre, was a mass murder of unarmed South Vietnamese civilians that occurred on March 16, 1968, during the Vietnam War. The massacre was committed by a unit of the U.S. Army, known as Charlie Company, under the command of Lieutenant William Calley Jr.
The events of that day began early in the morning, when Charlie Company was ordered to search and destroy the hamlets of My Lai and My Khe in Quang Ngai province, as it was believed that the area was a stronghold of the Viet Cong, the communist forces fighting against the U.S.-backed government of South Vietnam. However, upon arriving at the hamlets, the soldiers found no evidence of the Viet Cong and instead encountered only unarmed civilians.
Over the course of the next four hours, the soldiers of Charlie Company indiscriminately killed between 347 and 504 civilians, the majority of whom were women, children, and elderly people. The soldiers also raped women, mutilated the dead, and destroyed homes and livestock. The massacre was not limited to My Lai, but also in the nearby hamlet of My Khe where they killed between 50 and 80 villagers.
The My Lai Massacre was initially covered up by the U.S. military, but the story eventually came to light through investigations by investigative journalists and the testimony of veterans who had participated in the massacre. In 1971, Lieutenant William Calley Jr. was court-martialed for his role in the massacre and found guilty of murder for the deaths of 22 civilians. He was sentenced to life in prison, but his sentence was later reduced to 20 years and he was released on parole after serving just three and a half years.
The My Lai Massacre is widely considered to be one of the most egregious war crimes committed by U.S. forces during the Vietnam War, and it had a profound impact on the American public's perception of the war. The incident also led to changes in U.S. military policy and increased scrutiny of military operations. The memory of My Lai massacre is still alive today, and it continues to be used as a symbol of the atrocities of war.
In conclusion, the My Lai Massacre was a tragic event in which hundreds of unarmed South Vietnamese civilians, mostly women, children, and the elderly, were brutally murdered by U.S. soldiers. The massacre, which occurred on March 16, 1968, was a grave violation of human rights and had a profound impact on the American public's perception of the Vietnam War. The memory of the massacre continues to be a reminder of the atrocities of war and the importance of holding those responsible accountable for their actions.
"I would say that most people in our company didn't consider the Vietnamese human." —Dennis Bunning,