The Outline Of The My Lai Massacre Of 1968

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The My Lai Massacre of 1968 was a horrific blemish of brutality on America’s past. During this massacre, a company of American soldiers callously massacred the majority of the South Vietnamese hamlet of My Lai civilians, including women, children, and elderly. To this day, it remains unclear precisely how many South Vietnamese lives were taken during the massacre, but it was estimated to be as many as 500 civilians. (My Lai Cover-up Attempt) Higher-ranking U.S. Army officers covered up the events at My Lai and downplayed the fatalities among other soldiers. After a year of silence, a soldier knowledgeable of the My Lai event, searched to find justice for the South Vietnamese who were murdered by revealing the brutality of the American company. This act sparked a surge of intercontinental outrage and brought specific investigation to the issue. In 1970, only one of the fourteen officers charged with misconducts associated to the dealings of My Lai was …show more content…

(The My Lai Massacre) The extent of the My Lai massacre cover up and brutality was a dreadful part of America’s history because it was detrimental to the American Soldiers in Vietnam and intensified the antiwar sentiment in the United States. (My Lai: Remembering an American Atrocity in Vietnam) The My Lai settlement was located in Quang Hgai province and was part of the Son My …show more content…

troops and the South Vietnamese procured control of ground operations. Nixon aimed to continue the “Vietnamization” of the war through these polices. Meanwhile, the repercussions of My Lai hit the American troops hard. The scandal decreased the morale and exacerbated the anger and frustration amongst the American troops still in Vietnam. There was an increase in drug use among the U.S. troops, so an official report was taken in 1971 that estimated that over one-third of the soldiers had become addicted. (My Lai: Remembering an American Atrocity in

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