Description
The My Lai Massacre was a mass murder of Vietnamese civilians by U.S. soldiers on March 16, 1968, during the Vietnam War. A company of American soldiers entered the small village of My Lai 4, located in Quang Ngai Province, and began indiscriminately killing over 500 noncombatant men, women, children, and infants. The massacre, when revealed to the public in November 1969, sparked outrage and condemnation both in Vietnam and internationally. The event had a significant impact on U.S. public opinion regarding the war and is widely considered one of the defining moments of the conflict. In the aftermath of the massacre, several soldiers were court-martialed, but only one received a murder conviction, Lieutenant William F. Calley, though many others were never held accountable. Today, the My Lai Massacre is widely remembered as a dark chapter in American history and is widely studied as a cautionary tale about the dangers and costs of war, and the importance of holding those in power accountable for their actions. My senior thesis project will look specifically at the public's response to the massacre, the chain of command's culpability in the crimes, and how preserving the memory of the event is essential for ensuring that the mistakes of our past are learned from and prevented from plaguing our future.
The Red, White and Blue Scare: A Study of American Military Policies in Vietnam and the My Lai Massacre
The My Lai Massacre was a mass murder of Vietnamese civilians by U.S. soldiers on March 16, 1968, during the Vietnam War. A company of American soldiers entered the small village of My Lai 4, located in Quang Ngai Province, and began indiscriminately killing over 500 noncombatant men, women, children, and infants. The massacre, when revealed to the public in November 1969, sparked outrage and condemnation both in Vietnam and internationally. The event had a significant impact on U.S. public opinion regarding the war and is widely considered one of the defining moments of the conflict. In the aftermath of the massacre, several soldiers were court-martialed, but only one received a murder conviction, Lieutenant William F. Calley, though many others were never held accountable. Today, the My Lai Massacre is widely remembered as a dark chapter in American history and is widely studied as a cautionary tale about the dangers and costs of war, and the importance of holding those in power accountable for their actions. My senior thesis project will look specifically at the public's response to the massacre, the chain of command's culpability in the crimes, and how preserving the memory of the event is essential for ensuring that the mistakes of our past are learned from and prevented from plaguing our future.