My Lai Research Paper

Historically, Vietnam and My Lai offer a warning about the nature of warfare, particularly in terms of ‘search and destroy missions’ and the resulting treatment of civilians. With hindsight the American approach in Vietnam and particularly their inability to ‘win the hearts and minds of the people’ is a major factor in the conclusion and subsequent loss in Vietnam. Vietnam and more recent events such as the struggles in Ireland highlights the need for future generations to develop improved relationships between people from differing societies, cultures and religions. Vietnam also highlighted the power of the media as a tool for public persuasion. As historians we may consider whether we would have ever known about My Lai if it weren’t for the

Methods of ‘search and destroy’ together with the fact that Vietcong fighters, pro-communists and other civilians could not be distinguished from each other could only produce one possible outcome, the death of innocent people. Vivienne Sanders suggests that dead bodies meant, “promotions” and that for American soldiers, “if it is dead and Vietnamese its VC”30.

Indicating that a greater emphasis was placed on dead bodies, the very structure of war led to the inevitable development of war atrocities. A soldier described My Lai as, “typical combat assault formation. We… came down the line and destroyed the village.”31 The use of the word

‘typical’ and evidence such as the ‘Phoenix Operation’ suggests that My Lai is representative of American experience. An American officer described a method of torture during the 30 Sanders, V. The USA and Vietnam 1945-75,Hodder and Stoughton, 2000, p89

31 www.pierretristam.com/bobstlibary

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‘Phoenix Operation’, “insertion of a 6 inch dowel …and the tapping through the brain until he died”32. Again we need to bear in mind the validity of first hand accounts, without

The USA and Vietnam 1945-75, Hodder and Stoughton, 2004, p89 33 Article, “Faces of War”, www.commondreams.org/views04/0516-04.htm

34 Sanders, V. The USA and Vietnam 1945-75, Hodder and Stoughton, 2004, p89 35 Kendrik, O. The My Lai Massacre in American History and Memory, University Press, 2005 36 Edwards, Oliver. The USA and the Cold War, Hodder and Stoughton, 2004, Britain, p111

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we study, “historiography”37. We are now left with no stable or objective source, knowledge is therefore controlled and in the, “hands of the people who are going to shape it to reflect their own political, social, cultural, religious and educational stances”38. Yet I believe this viewpoint almost insults the past, suggesting that we can never trust any source and therefore anyone detailing their experience in Vietnam. Although I would suggest that all sources should be approached with caution I believe that all sources hold value as they represent the view of a person affected by experience, the most important aspect of this investigation. 37