Comments on: The My Lai Massacre

By: achilles2010

achilles2010 — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 01:17:17 +0000

Very touching description of the massacre. Nice post.

By: Uma Shankari

Uma Shankari — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:13:32 +0000

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.

By: cebuanaeyez

cebuanaeyez — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 02:16:42 +0000

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.

By: cebuanaeyez

cebuanaeyez — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 02:14:45 +0000

I read about this today in the newspaper. Very tragic incident and to carry the guilt all these years…thanks for sharing Ruby.

By: Monica Sappleton

Monica Sappleton — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 05:19:19 +0000

What a massacre! This shows just how atrocious and death dealing wars can be. Nobody wins. Another informative piece.
Monica.

By: Ruby Hawk

Ruby Hawk — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:17:46 +0000

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?

By: Daisy Peasblossom

Daisy Peasblossom — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:10:16 +0000

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.

By: Ruby Hawk

Ruby Hawk — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:05:32 +0000

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.

By: Melody Arcamo Lagrimas

Melody Arcamo Lagrimas — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 02:23:30 +0000

Oh, the atrocities and absurdities of war.

By: CA Johnson

CA Johnson — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 00:45:49 +0000

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.