Essay on My Lai Massacre - 1127 Words

My Lai Massacre Soldiers are trained to always follow orders, and to never question orders. But that belief is somewhat illogical. Soldiers are to obey any lawful order given. But the training involved, the often chaotic nature of battle, and the need to follow authority to maintain survival can lead to a very blurred vision of what is right or wrong. Ones animalistic instincts may take over. Sometimes there are such situations when youve stepped over the line. Such as the horrendous act that took place on March 16, 1968 in the village of Son My. The Quang Ngai Province, more than any other province in South Viet Nam, was suspected by the United States military officials as being a Viet Cong stronghold. Army intelligence†¦show more content†¦On February 25, 1968 Charlie Company walked into a mine field. Three men died, and twelve were wounded. A few weeks later on March fourteenth, a small squad from Charlie Company ran into another booby trap, this time killing a popular sergeant, blinding on GI, and wounding many others. The soldiers of Charlie Company became demoralized as they lost nearly one-third of their troop in two months. Many in the company had given in to an easy pattern of violence. Prisoners were systematically beaten, unarmed civilians sometimes murdered, whole villages burned, and wells poisoned. Rapes were not uncommon. Many military leaders encouraged and rewarded kills in an effort to produce impressive body counts that could be reported to Saigon as an indication of progress. On March 16, 1968. Charlie Company was ordered to enter the Hamlet of My Lai to clear out the Viet Congs forty-eighth battalion that was believed to be in the vicinity. The soldiers mission would be to engage the forty-eighth battalion and destroy the village of My Lai. The attack was to begin at seven-thirty in the morning. Military leaders believed the women and children would be out of the village heading for the local market by this time, leaving only the Viet Cong. The soldiers were ordered to explode brick homes, set fires to thatch homes, shoot livestock, poison wells, and destroy the enemy. That plan was that Lieutenant Calley would come down from theShow MoreRelatedMy Lai Massacre2751 Words   |  12 PagesMy Lai On March 16, 1968, in the Quang Ngai region of Vietnam, specifically My Lai, the United States military was involved in an appalling slaughter of approximately 500 Vietnamese civilians. There are numerous arguments as to why this incident even had the capacity to occur. Although some of the arguments seem valid, can one really make excuses for the slaughter of innocent people? The company that was responsible for the My Lai incident was the Charlie Company and throughout the company thereRead MoreThe My Lai Massacre Essay789 Words   |  4 PagesVietnam during an indiscriminate, mass murder event known as the My Lai Massacre. Conducted by a unit of the United States Army, the My Lai Massacre ranked one of most appalling atrocities carried out by US forces in an already savage and violent war. All victims involved were unarmed civilians, many of which were women, children, and the elderly. Victims were raped, tortured and beaten, even mutilated before being killed. The massacre was forever seared into the hearts and minds of the AmericanRead MoreEssay on The My Lai Massacre848 Words   |  4 PagesThe My Lai Massacre was the mass murder conducted by a unit of the U.S. army on March 16, 1968 of 347 to 504 unarmed citizens, all of whom were women, children, and elderly. Initially, the massacre was considered a military victory, claiming that 128 Viet Cong and only twenty-two citizens were killed. General William C. Westmoreland, MACV commander, congratulated the unit on an outstanding job. Investigations began with 11th Light Infantry Brigades commanding officer, Colonel Henderson, underRead MoreAnalysis Of The My Lai Massacre1549 Words   |  7 Pages The My Lai Massacre is a prime example of America’s actions in an attempt to preserve their image, but this genocide also indepthly grasps the concept of the transitional period from war to sadism. The 23rd Infantry Division of the Charlie Company under the command of Lieutenant William Calley Jr. committed this heinous massacre, in sum murdering around 500 unarmed civilians. The victims included men, women, children, elderly ... no one was spared. According to Dr. O’Connell, a sociology professorRead More The My Lai Massacre Essay2713 Words   |  11 PagesThe My Lai Massacre   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On March 16, 1968, in the Quang Ngai region of Vietnam, specifically My Lai, the United States military was involved in an appalling slaughter of approximately 500 Vietnamese civilians. There are numerous arguments as to why this incident even had the capacity to occur. Although some of the arguments seem valid, can one really make excuses for the slaughter of innocent people? The company that was responsible for the My Lai incident was the Charlie Company and throughoutRead MoreThe My Lai Massacre Essay1287 Words   |  6 PagesThe My Lai Massacre My family was eating breakfast when the Americans came, nothing was said to us, no explanation was given, This is what a man named Do Chuc reported to Time Magazine. He claimed to have lost a daughter and a son in the incident that occured in a small village of Vietnam in 1968. The My Lai Massacre is an event that will be forever imprinted on our hearts. The stories of those who survived, and those who are gone. Many things have been written about My Lai, but notRead MoreMy Lai the Great Massacre Essay677 Words   |  3 PagesMy Lai the Great Massacre The Olson and Roberts book, My Lai is based upon the March 18, 1968, assault on My Lai. By examining the material, an explanation of why this massacre occurred is drawn. The main factors that lead to the My Lai assault were difficulty engaging with the enemy and the problem of distinguishing between the enemy soldiers and civilians, which both led to rage and frustration among soldiers and a misinterpretation of the mission. On March 17, 1968, a mission was givenRead MoreEssay on The My Lai Massacre - Vietnam War1214 Words   |  5 Pagesterrible massacre occurred at My Lai, called The My Lai Massacre. The following massacre should have never happened and the events that followed the massacre are typical of any American wrongdoing. Thats why it wasnt in my US History book. They covered it up and the people involved in the massacre received no punishment except for one soldier. My US History book: The Story of America Volume 2 doesnt even touch on this dark moment in US history. The closest that they come to my topic isRead MorePhilosophy Course Required For Ib Diploma Program1533 Words   |  7 PagesThis class made me think about the knowledge that I know in my life and how I came to know about these knowledge. For instance, I questioned how I was able to obtain knowledge from every events that had happened in my life. I also questioned if it is necessary to use more than one ways of knowing in order to gain knowledge towards my moral principles. I do not know if I always use more than one way of knowing in order to gain knowledge in my personal life. This title is interesting to me because I haveRead MoreThe Most Important Thing I Learned2127 Words   |  9 Pagesbefore them. This can manifest itself into blind followership, simply following and carrying out orders thoughtlessly. This inattentiveness can lead unfortunately, to chaos. In My Lai, the A merican soldiers acted on orders to murder Vietnamese citizens indiscriminately. The American troops that participated in the massacre acted on the orders mindlessly. Their actions were completely voluntary and this why the blame is twofold. The blood is on both the leaders, who ordered the killing, and the followers