Army soldiers from company c, 1st battalion, 20th infantry regiment and company b. In 1968, ron ridenhour, an infantryman in vietnam, wrote a letter to president nixon detailing the murder of 500 civillians by the u. Only one american was injured during the my lai massacre of march 16, 1968 a soldier who had shot himself in the foot whilst clearing his pistol. My lai, vietnam truong thi le stares at a graphic photograph of the massacre s carnage, then points at the pile of corpses under which she hid for four hours, clutching her 6yearold son. The my lai massacre in american history and memory, that speaking and writing about the my lai massacre involves a necessary, if unfortunate, fiction. It took 20 months for the war crime to come to light. The tet offensive, which occurred during the first two months of 1968, was a large military invasion of south vietnam by north. American soldiers killed more than 500 south vietnamese, including 350 women and children, in the village of my lai, south vietnam. Army slang name for the hamlets and subhamlets in that area was pinkville, and the carnage was initially referred to as the pinkville massacre. A detailed timeline of the events at my lai and their aftermath. Since the release, viewers have been captivated by the visceral emotion expressed on the face of the woman in the foreground of the photo below published in 1969 by life magazine. Mar 15, 2014 nixon and the my lai massacre coverup. Mar 16, 2016 one was the massacre by united states soldiers of as many as 500 unarmed civilians old men, women, children in my lai on the morning of march 16. Becoming a symbol of usamerican war crimes in vietnam, it prompted widespread outrage around the world and reduced public support for the war in the united states.
Army in what would come to be known as the my lai massacre. This lesson discusses the events of the my lai massacre, arguably one of the. Following the my lai massacre, during which between 347 and 504 civilians were killed, the story remained largely out of the public eye until the media published haeberles photographs in november. Historical account of the my lai massacre, the mass killing of hundreds of unarmed civilians by u. My lai massacre legal definition of my lai massacre. It is one of the worst known atrocities of the war in vietnam. Paul meadlo, father of two, and one of the soldiers involved in the massacre. Ernest medina served as the commanding officer of the unit that attacked my lai. Evidence of the massacre at my lai american experience.
My lai, a subdivision of son my village, was located in the province of quang ngai, roughly 7 miles 11 km northeast of quang ngai city. Following the my lai massacre, during which between 347 and 504 civilians were killed, the story remained largely out of the public eye until the media published haeberles photographs in. Mar 27, 2015 the my lai massacre is probably one of the most infamous events of the vietnam war. Calley was charged with murdering 104 villagers in the my lai massacre. He included eyeopening quotes from interviews he conducted with three american soldiers who were present during the massacre. A single, horrific, atrocity can provide the defining moment in a war. Lai massacre was the vietnam war mass murder of unarmed south vietnamese. This lesson discusses the events of the my lai massacre, arguably one of the worst atrocities committed during the vietnam war. Some of the photos of the operation were published in a u. S army board charged 14 officers of crimes related to events at my lai. The my lai massacre stemmed from previous events in the vietnam war. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle. Charlie company had arrived in vietnam three months before the my lai massacre. The program was subsequently aired by pbs in the united states on 23 may as remember my lai frontline, season 7.
The my lai massacre pronunciation helpinfo, approximately mi. French forces attack viet minh in haiphong, sparking war of resistance against france. Automatically reference everything correctly with citethisforme. S army photographers captured the events of the day, from the morning at lz dottie to the massacre itself. Helicopter pilot hugh thompson with gunner lawrence colburn and crew chief glenn andreotta landed their helicopter between american troops rampaging through my lai village. American soldiers brutally killed most of the population of the south vietnamese hamlet in my lai 5. In 1971 he faced war crimes charges for his actions during the massacre. Hired as a fulltime copy editor in 2003, he currently works as an editor and oversees coverage of european history and military affairs. Lt calley, commander of the 1st platoon at my lai, was called back to the us as a potential suspect and in september of 1969 he was charged with 109 murders. The my lai massacre reportedly ended only after warrant officer hugh thompson, an army helicopter pilot on a reconnaissance mission, landed his aircraft between the soldiers and the retreating villagers and threatened to open fire if they continued their attacks.
Following a report by the investigative journalist seymour hersh the news of the my lai massacre broke in america on november 12, 1969, to the horror of the nation. Hugh thompson, the helicopter pilot who stopped the my lai massacre, later told the news program 60 minutes that he was ostracized and. Save your work forever, build multiple bibliographies, run plagiarism checks, and much more. My lai massacre stock pictures, royaltyfree photos. My lai, vietnam truong thi le stares at a graphic photograph of the massacres carnage, then points at the pile of corpses under which she hid for four hours, clutching her 6yearold son. Efforts were made by the us army to suppress information about the raping and killing of vietnamese civilians but eventually, after considerable pressure from certain newspapers, it was decided to put lieutenant william. On the morning of 16 march 1968, soldiers from three platoons of charlie company entered a group of hamlets located in the son tinh district. The my lai massacre, which took place on the morning of march 16, 1968, was a watershed in the history of modern american combat, and a turning point in the public perception of the vietnam war. Nearly 100 songs were written about the my lai massacre, exposing.
Oct, 2017 in 1968, ron ridenhour, an infantryman in vietnam, wrote a letter to president nixon detailing the murder of 500 civillians by the u. Hugh thompson identifies william calley as the officer present at my lai. America is still facing demands to apologise for the 1968 my lai massacre in vietnam, and the remains of charred iraqi. Mar 16, 2018 mar 16, 2018 how the armys coverup made the my lai massacre even worse. A look at the my lai incident fifty years later army historical. Knowing news of the massacre would cause a scandal, officers higher up in command. The massacre at my lai on march 16, 1968 continues to haunt students of the vietnam war as a moment that challenges notions of american virtue. Nixon and the my lai massacre coverup new york post.
These are the sources and citations used to research my lai. Two recentlylanded helicopters in a grassy field near my lai as. Download premium images you cant get anywhere else. The my lai massacre was possibly the single worst atrocity committed by american forces during. A timeline of the most important events of the vietnam war. April 15, 1943 january 6, 2006 was a united states army major, and a former warrant officer in the 123rd aviation battalion of the 23rd infantry division. The vietnam war is a very controversial subject for many americans. Shortly after dawn on march 16 th, three platoons of us troops from c company, 11 th brigade, arrived in the son my area having been dropped off by helicopters.
James olson and randy roberts have combed unpublished testimony and have gathered a collection of eyewitness accounts from those who were at my lai and reports from those who investigated the incident. The my lai massacre is probably one of the most infamous events of the vietnam war. The history of the vietnam wars most notorious atrocity traces the history of one of the american militarys darkest days. The my lai massacre took place shortly after the tet offensive. American soldiers kill hundreds of vietnamese civilians. Lai was the mass murder of 347 to 504 unarmed citizens in south vietnam, entirely civilians and some of them women and children, conducted by u. Late in january 1968, viet cong guerrillas and north vietnamese soldiers had launched attacks on urban areas across south vietnam. Before the massacre, my lai was a poor village in the quang ngai province. My lai pilot hugh thompson via all things considered, npr. My lai massacre vietnamese citizens photographed during the my lai massacre, march 16, 1968. No significant facts about the calley investigation or about the massacre itself were. Viet minh,a broad front of vietnamese patriots and nationalists controlled by communist party,seize power. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the my lai massacre. Between 347 and 504 unarmed people were killed by u.
Find highquality my lai massacre stock photos and editorial news pictures from getty images. My lai massacre, also called pinkville massacre, mass killing of as many as 500 unarmed villagers by u. Soldier paul meadlo testified against medina claiming, i dont know if the c. Army troops murdered more than 300 unarmed vietnamese women, children, and elderly persons. My lai massacre simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. He helped end the my lai massacre of the south vietnamese village known as son m. Charlie company and the massacre american experience official. Chronology of events relating to the massacre at my lai. The history of the vietnam wars most notorious atrocity kindle edition by charles river editors. My lai was a village of about 700 inhabitants some 100 miles to the southeast of the us base of danang. The event known as the my lai massacre was one of the darkest moments of the vietnam war, and further fueled the already growing antiwar movement in the united states. Meadlo wallace interview nov 24 1969 internet archive.
The vietnam war november 1, 1955 april 30, 1975 was fought between the communist government of north vietnam and viet cong guerrillas, who were supported by the chinese, and the armies of south vietnam, who were supported by the united states. My lai massacre in pictures timeline of death youtube. The result is that fifty years after my lai, some genuine good has come out of a. Massacre was the vietnam wars most deadliest war crime 2. Hugh thompsons crewmember remembers helping to stop the my lai massacre on democracy now.
The history of the vietnam wars most notorious atrocity. The newspaper coverage prompted widespread condemnation and reduced public support for the vietnam war in the united states. American lieutenant william calley ordered his charlie company to attack quang ngai because it was suspected to be a haven for the enemy. American soldiers in vietnam killed more than 500 civilians in a period of four hours on march 16, 1968, in the village of my lai. Army started its investigation, the media changed it to the massacre at songmy. For sometime stories had been circulating about deteriorating behaviour amongst us soldiers.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The my lai massacre took place on march 16 th 1968. The my lai massacre was a massacre by american soldiers of hundreds of unarmed vietnamese civilians, mostly women and children, on march 16, 1968, during the vietnam war. A memorial in my lai lists the names of 504 victims. Her dead mother, brother and another son sprawl nearby. My lai massacre presentation by chris phillips on prezi. Seymour hersh was the first reporter to publish details of the my lai killings on november 12, 1969. He refers to the fact that the name my lai is a misnomer in that it was not the name used by the inhabitants of the area but rather it was an american designation. The my lai massacre was one of the most horrific incidents of violence committed against unarmed civilians during the vietnam war. The actual purpose of the subcommittee was to serve as a mechanism to sabotage the my lai massacre trials in keeping with the presidents will to. Make educational timelines or create a timeline for your company website. Timetoasts free timeline maker lets you create timelines online. Rob ridenhours writes letter descibing the my lai incident and its coverup. Currently, the event is referred to as the my lai massacre in the united states and called.
He was a teacher in the chicago suburbs and seoul, south korea, prior to joining britannica as a freelancer in 2000. Read the essential details about the my lai massacre. Create marketing content that resonates with prezi video. The my lai massacre became a defining symbol of the vietnam war. American soldiers burned numerous homes during the my lai massacre on march 16, 1968, in my lai, south vietnam. March 16, 1968 located in the district of son my vietnam. Soon, my lai was frontpage news and an international scandal. Bbc news asiapacific murder in the name of war my lai. Mar 16, 2018 how the armys coverup made the my lai massacre even worse.
Lessons from my lai on drawing the line bock, paula march 10, 2002, seattle times magazine. This bibliography was generated on cite this for me on sunday, march 12, 2017. A company of american soldiers brutally killed most of the peoplewomen, children and old menin the village of my lai on march 16, 1968. My lai massacre international union of historians and.
The my lai massacre is a chilling reminder of what can happen when soldiers cease to regard their opponents as human. On american maps, the location was marked as my lai 4, and when news of the killings leaked into the american press over a year and a half later in november 1969, it was under that name that the incident became infamous as the my lai massacre. Larry colburn was a gunner in hugh thompsons helicopter on march 16, 1968 at my lai, vietnam. Haeberletime lifegetty images early morning on march 16, 1968. My lai massacre during a search and destroy mission, at my lai 500 women and children were brutally murdered. Fatal errors that led to massacre world news the guardian. The my lai massacre captured public awareness largely due to the 1969 public release of graphic photographs taken by army photographer ronald haeberle. In his articles he informed citizens of the details of the massacre. One was the massacre by united states soldiers of as many as 500 unarmed civilians old men, women, children in my lai on the morning of march 16. Mar, 2020 the events at my lai were covered up by highranking army officers until investigative journalist seymour hersh broke the story. The my lai massacre narrative in american history and.