The My Lai Massacre, 1968 (Edexcel GCSE History): Revision Note

Summary

The My Lai Massacre greatly damaged the reputation of the US military and government. Photographs of dead children and babies, killed by American soldiers, led to US troops regularly being called ‘baby killers’ by protestors. The American army originally claimed that the operation in My Lai was a success and this led to accusations of a cover-up. Further anger was caused when only one person stood trial over the My Lai Massacre and his punishment was greatly reduced from life imprisonment to three years house arrest.

What was the My Lai Massacre, 1968?

• The My Lai Massacre was the murder of at least 347 men women and children, including babies, by US troops during a search and destroy mission in South Vietnam

  • Some of the women were raped before they were murdered 

  • Other estimates claim as many as 500 villagers were killed

• The US Army reported that the mission had been a success and claimed that 128 Vietcong fighters had been killed

How was the My Lai Massacre exposed to the public?

• In March 1969, an army whistleblower wrote to several members of the government outlining what he had heard about the massacre

  • These letters, one of which was sent to resident Richard Nixon, which triggered an investigation

• At the same time, photographs of the massacre that an official war photographer had taken were leaked to the public

  • This led many Americans to believe that US soldiers were murderers and that the US government was guilty of covering the murders up

Calley’s Trial, 1970-1971

• Lieutenant William Calley was the commanding officer of the troops who committed the massacre

  • In 1970, he was formally charged with the murder of 109 people

• Calley claimed that he had been following direct orders and 18 further officers were charged with offences relating to the massacre

  • Calley was the only person who ever stood trial for crimes committed at My Lai

• Calley was found guilty of 22 murders and sentenced to life imprisonment

  • He appealed and was released by President Nixon after just three years of house arrest on a military base