My Lai

• In 1968 there is a rumour that there is Vietcong base in My Lai with 200 Vietcong soldiers
• • During a search and destroy mission a group of soldiers called the Charlie company decided to target My Lai on a Saturday
  • As the villagers would be at the market on Saturday
  • 7th of March 1968 troops landed at My Lai
  • They were likely on drugs such as heroine
  • They shot and stabbed any villager they came into contact with
  • They found no evidence that anyone was actually a Vietcong member
  • Women were raped and Children were killed
• Initially My Lai was celebrated by the Army
• My Lai is covered up for months
• • In 1969 Ronald Ridenhour writes letters to 30 US politicians
  • Ridenhour knew soldiers there and was horrified and wanted justice
  • General Westmoreland received a letter and did not believe it, so launched a public inquiry straight away
  • Two inquiries- one government-led and one army-led
  • The government suggests that between 374 and 504 people were killed
  • The army suggests the army was ill-disciplined, inexperienced, and didn't carry out a proper mission
  • They said 25 should be prosecuted, 14 of which were charged
  • However, these charges were dropped.
• • A rather popular magazine, Life magazine, published photos of My Lai taken by Ronald Haeberle
  • He was an army photographer
• In November 1969 news of My Lai and its photographs was released by journalist Seymour Hersh
• • One captain was blamed a lot in particular for this: William Calley
  • He was found guilty for shooting 109 people in a ditch
  • He was sentenced to life in the early 1970s
  • He said he was just following orders
  • Interestingly in public polls, the public sided with him and felt sorry for him
  • So Nixon decided in 1974 that Calley should be released
• • In 1969 500,000 people protested against the War in Vietnam
• • This is the first time in the polls that the majority of Americans are against the War in Vietnam