Did anyone survive the My Lai massacre?
They were killed, but he survived, grazed by a bullet that left a scar on his chest. His story highlights one of the few heroic moments of the day. He was rescued by helicopter pilot Hugh Thompson and crew member Larry Coburn, who evacuated him to nearby Chu Lai.
What was the significance of the My Lai massacre?
The massacre at My Lai held importance for a number of reasons. First, upon learning of the event in 1969, the American anti-Vietnam War movement ballooned with new members and support. The movement had struggled to remain united during 1968, but the My Lai Massacre served as a rallying point for antiwar opposition.
Who is responsible for the My Lai massacre?
William Calley
William Calley was the only American convicted of his role in the massacre of more than 500 innocent Vietnamese civilians in the village of My Lai during the Vietnam War.
Why was the My Lai massacre cover up?
After the Tet Offensive in early 1968, a majority of the American public came to view the war as a mistake, and the subsequent cover up of My Lai served to deepen people’s despair that the war could ever be won.
How many people died at My Lai massacre?
500
My Lai Massacre, also called Pinkville Massacre, mass killing of as many as 500 unarmed villagers by U.S. soldiers in the hamlet of My Lai on March 16, 1968, during the Vietnam War.
What were the social causes of the My Lai massacre?
Many factors contributed to these violent incidents, but most to blame was the leadership and training of the troops. By far the most well-known and most well publicized of the incidents was the massacre at the village of My Lai 4.
What started the My Lai massacre?
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.
How was the My Lai massacre cover up?
President Richard Nixon reduced Calley’s sentence to a light punishment—three years of house arrest. The My Lai massacre, the Army’s cover up, and the military courts’ abject failure to bring military leaders and GIs to justice further undermined the faith of some Americans in their political and military institutions.
What was the date of the My Lai massacre?
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.
