The My Lai Massacre
by It’s been over 40 years since the My Lai Massacre. It was a black day for all Americans and one we will never forget.
It’s been more than forty years since the My Lai Massacre. On March 16, 1968 2nd Lt. William Calley gave the order to his platoon to kill everyone in the two South Vietnamese hamlets of My Lai and My Khe. These hamlets were mostly inhabited by unarmed women and children. They were shot, raped, and tortured. It was one of the blackest days in the Vietnam War. Twenty six men were charged but only William Calley served time.
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Calley never denied giving the orders to his platoon, but he said he was obeying direct orders from the company commander. Calley was convicted as a war criminal and received a life sentence. The company commander was not charged. Many say that Calley made the perfect scapegoat. He was later pardoned by President Richard Nixon and retired from the public view. There have always been differing opinions about a soldier carrying our inhumane orders from a superior. Does he comply or disobey orders? What does his country expect of him.
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For these forty years Calley has not talked about the massacre. He has never talked to the media or appeared on any news programs. But last week Calley was asked to speak to the Kiwanis by his friend, Al Fleming, a retired broadcaster. Calley accepted. Fleming said he had set the talk up as a news conference but had no idea what Calley would say. After all these years Calley took this time to make an apology for what happened at My Lai forty years ago.
Image via Wikipedia
”There is not a day that goes by that I do not feel remorse for what happened that day in My Lai. I feel remorse for the Vietnamese who were killed, for their families, for the American soldiers involved and their families. I am very sorry.” The meeting and apology might never have been noticed if not for Dick McMichael, a retired journalist who was at the Kiwanis meeting and blogged about it. His story was picked up by the Columbus Ledger Enquirer.
It’s a story that gives me pause. I have a grandson who is a soldier. He has been taught to obey his superiors like every other soldier before him. I wonder how many trained soldiers would refuse a direct order, and if my grandson would.
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Post CommentPoetic Enigma
On August 23, 2009 at 3:26 am
Very informative article,
Thanks for sharing!
Christine Ramsay
On August 23, 2009 at 3:30 am
That is quite a question because in refusing a command he would be severely punished. A very interesting piece and such a tragedy.
Christine
ken bultman
On August 23, 2009 at 3:31 am
A very compelling article which brings back sad memories of a war in which Americans left running. In answer to your last ponder: your grandson would not.
chris73
On August 23, 2009 at 3:44 am
I”ll set it straight: Army is not a kindergarten many times, so if you serve by your own choice you must accept whatever comes or resign. That simple.
AngelaDavid
On August 23, 2009 at 3:58 am
Another well wrtiten article Ruby.
unown971
On August 23, 2009 at 4:15 am
Wow, how do you do it Ruby? Great article!
Mr Ghaz
On August 23, 2009 at 4:24 am
Well done!..a very interesting read and well written piece..Thanx for sharing.
Hugo La Rosa
On August 23, 2009 at 4:43 am
That’s a really sad chapter in US History, and a very thoughtful one. It takes us to the brink of life and death. I hope things like that won’t happen again; we should pray that we as human beings may shake the shackles of spiritual poverty some day. Maybe so… Regards, Hugo.
Dee Huff
On August 23, 2009 at 4:48 am
What an interesting article, and such a sad piece of history. What can soldiers do in those circumstances? If they disobey orders do they get court-martialled?
Kairos
On August 23, 2009 at 5:00 am
Lt. Calley, I remember him in one of the old Newsweek of my grandfather, the cover was the smiling young Calley in his uniform and the background were the photos of dead vietnamese. This image has been etched in my mind. I thought Calley was dead. It is a good thing he asked for apology. But it is his personal motive. The American government does not issue an apology.It never did anyway in any massacre the US government did (and still doing). The Filipinos for century has been waiting for the apology of the Balangiga Massacre the very infamous carnage of all moving things in Samar Island during th Fil-American War.
Francois Hagnere
On August 23, 2009 at 5:16 am
Very informative, as usual. What a tragedy.
Thank you Ruby.
Lostash
On August 23, 2009 at 6:03 am
Interesting piece and a good closing question for debate. Is there room for moral questioning whilst serving? I certainly think there is!
CHAN LEE PENG
On August 23, 2009 at 7:31 am
This was a sad tragedy, good piece anyway. Have my liked it.
giftarist
On August 23, 2009 at 8:05 am
Interesting..Sad tragedy..
Thank you for sharing
BeatsMe
On August 23, 2009 at 8:48 am
Enjoyed reading this article.
ceegirl
On August 23, 2009 at 1:37 pm
what a view
PR Mace
On August 23, 2009 at 7:51 pm
Even though I was only nine years old when this happen, I clearly remember it. Do you remember the song written about it? I do and I can still sing it to this day. I just can’t remember who wrote the song. I will have to look it up. Outstanding article, Ruby on a terrible event in our history. I think he was used as an scapegoat. As for your final question, I don’t think your grandson would follow that order.
CA Johnson
On August 23, 2009 at 8:45 pm
Great article! I wonder if your grandson would follow that order too. I agree that he might be punished if he were in a similar position. I hope he never has to deal with that.
Melody SJAL
On August 23, 2009 at 10:23 pm
Oh, the atrocities and absurdities of war.
Ruby Hawk
On August 23, 2009 at 11:05 pm
Thank you my good friends for your valuable time. I appreciate you all so much. It is a hard question. I would like to think none of us would follow that order but how do we know? Soldiers are taught to follow orders and I think it’s a kind of brain washing. I don’t think my grandson would but I can only hope he is never faced with that choice. Not to follow orders is to face a firing squad in time of war. I don’t want to think of any of our children having to be faced with a decision like that.
Daisy Peasblossom
On August 23, 2009 at 11:10 pm
My aunt and mother used to be at odds on what mother called “the military mindset”. Aunt was a career WAC. Having listened to both of them, I made a conscious choice not to be any part of the military. Having grown up in the Viet nam era (I was in high school when the massacre happened) probably influenced my decision.
By its very nature, a military unit must move quickly, decisively. Therefore, soldiers are trained to follow orders. Humans caught up in a group action devolve into mob mentality. Even good men may do bad things under such circumstances. It would be an exceptionally self-actualized, strong person who pulled away from the group action.
None of us know how we would react till we are faced with the reality of such a situation.
Ruby Hawk
On August 23, 2009 at 11:17 pm
Pam, I remember hearing the song but I can’t remember anything about it, including the words. You have a good memory.
Kairos, I’m sorry I don’t remember reading about the time you are speaking of. Were the Japanese hidden in that island? Was it WW11?
monica55
On August 24, 2009 at 1:19 am
What a massacre! This shows just how atrocious and death dealing wars can be. Nobody wins. Another informative piece.
Monica.
cebuanaeyez
On August 24, 2009 at 10:14 pm
I read about this today in the newspaper. Very tragic incident and to carry the guilt all these years…thanks for sharing Ruby.
cebuanaeyez
On August 24, 2009 at 10:16 pm
I read about this today in the newspaper. Mr. Calley apologized for the massacre. It’ so tragic and for him to carry the guilt all these years. Thanks for sharing Ruby.
Uma Shankari
On August 27, 2009 at 3:13 pm
Those were horrible days indeed – the cold war between USA and USSR, the decades-long Vietnam war and other wars in the Southeast asia. I was a teenager then. Reminds me of the “Jalianwala bagh” tragedy at Amritsar in India when British Indian Army soldiers under the command of Brigadier-General Dyer opened fire (in 1919) on an unarmed gathering of men, women and children killing thousands of people.
Thanks for sharing the moving story.
achilles2010
On October 8, 2010 at 9:17 pm
Very touching description of the massacre. Nice post.