When did the massacre at My Lai take place?
March 16, 1968
Mỹ Lai massacre/Start dates
On March 16, 1968 the angry and frustrated men of Charlie Company, 11th Brigade, Americal Division entered the Vietnamese village of My Lai. “This is what you’ve been waiting for — search and destroy — and you’ve got it,” said their superior officers. A short time later the killing began.
When did the My Lai massacre start and end?
The My Lai massacre was one of the most horrific incidents of violence committed against unarmed civilians during the Vietnam War. A company of American soldiers brutally killed most of the people—women, children and old men—in the village of My Lai on March 16, 1968.
What events led to the My Lai massacre?
The My Lai Massacre stemmed from previous events in the Vietnam War. The Tet Offensive, which occurred during the first two months of 1968, was a large military invasion of South Vietnam by North Vietnam.
Why was the My Lai massacre a turning point in the war?
The publicity surrounding the My Lai massacre proved to be an important turning point in American public opinion. It illustrated the deterioration that was taking place in the behaviour of the US troops and undermined the moral argument about the need to save Vietnam from the “evils of communism”.
Who was responsible for the My Lai massacre?
Twenty-six soldiers were charged with criminal offenses, but only Lieutenant William Calley Jr., a platoon leader in C Company, was convicted. Found guilty of killing 22 villagers, he was originally given a life sentence, but served three-and-a-half years under house arrest.
What event happened at My Lai that profoundly shocked America?
What event happened at My Lai that profoundly shocked Americans? Unarmed Vietnamese civilians were massacred by U.S. troops.
How did the My Lai massacre start?
The massacre began as an ordinary search-and-destroy mission preceded by an artillery barrage aimed at the rice paddies northwest of the village. The 105-millimeter shells were supposed to land 400 meters away from My Lai, but some of the rounds fell near houses.
What started the My Lai massacre?
Was the My Lai massacre a turning point in the Vietnam War?
The shooting of hundreds of people in the Vietnamese village of My Lai in 1968 marked a pivotal turning point in America’s feelings about the the Vietnam War.
What was the public’s reaction to the My Lai massacre?
The nation’s reaction to My Lai mirrored its attitudes toward a war that by November 1969 had become markedly unpopular. The press properly expressed horror at the revelations, but it also treated My Lai ethnocentrically as an American story. Some blamed the war itself rather than the men of Charlie Company.
What was the My Lai massacre and why did it happen?
Massacre at My Lai. Shortly before 7:30 am on March 16, 1968, Son My village was shelled by U.S. artillery. The preparatory barrage was intended to clear a landing area for Charlie Company’s helicopters, but its actual effect was to force those civilians who had begun leaving the area back to My Lai in search of cover.
Why did protesters consider the draft system unfair?
The draft was viewed as unequal because the working class man’s only choice was to go to war, while the wealthy men would go to college or enlist in the National Guard. By the end of the 1960’s the nation was fed up with the war, and they were angry with how the war itself was being carried out.
How many people died at my Lai?
A company of American soldiers brutally killed most of the people—women, children and old men—in the village of My Lai on March 16, 1968. More than 500 people were slaughtered in the My Lai massacre, including young girls and women who were raped and mutilated before being killed.
Why did the my Lai Massacre occur?
The My Lai Massacre was mainly caused by a lack of proper training for the soldiers in the Charlie Company, multiple misunderstandings between the Charlie Company soldiers and their commanding officers, stress and tension, and numerous racial barriers that separated the Vietnamese from the Americans.
What occurred at my Lai?
The My Lai massacre was one of the most horrific incidents of violence committed against unarmed civilians during the Vietnam War. A company of American soldiers brutally killed most of the people—women, children and old men—in the village of My Lai on March 16, 1968.