My Lai Massacre

When?
March 16
th
1968
Where?
My Lai, a village about 100 miles south east of the US base of Danang with around 700
inhabitants.
What happened?
Three platoons of US troops from C Company 11
th
brigade were dropped off near the
village by helicopter and expected to find Vietcong soldiers because this was an area
where they were very active. The Troops began to fire at the villagers, these included
women, children and elderly people because the young men had gone to work in the
Paddy fields. It was claimed by people who returned to the village that it took three
days to bury the bodies.
How did they get away with it?
The My Lai Massicar as it later became known only became public in November 1969
(over a year later when a US soldier was interviewed on TV and he admitted to killing
around 10 men, women and children at My Lai. This caused a lot of shock among the
public and the US military were put under pressure to launch an investigation. But they
had already begun an investigation in April 1969 before the events came into the public
eye.
A number of US soldiers were charged none were actually prosecuted apart from
Lieutenant William Calley, but his case was controversial. He claimed he was just
carrying out orders. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labour however
he was released after five years.
How many casualties were there?
No one knows a precise number but the US military estimate around 347 and the
memorial at My Lai lists 504 names with ages ranging from 1 to 82.