Perhaps the army feared that further probing would only lead to the revelation that the my lai massacre was not altogether unique. By the time the armys charges against lieutenant calley became known. Lieutenant calley grew to hate and fear the local vietnamese after. Defense attorney george latimer prosecutor aubrey daniel. The massacre at my lai was not the only time american troops committed. Rusty calley for the massacre of my lai 4 during the vietnam war. Calley s conviction was announced, robert johnsona vietnam veteran and west point graduatetold a reporter, rusty calley is a scapegoat of united states policies. His conviction was later overturned by judge robert elliott.
When the story broke that american troops had committed the massacre at my lai on march 16, 1968, i was in germany reporting for time on the student movement. The song is set to the tune of the battle hymn of the republic. Professionalismhugh thompson, william calley, and the my. William calley of my lai massacre infamy by calling upon his fellow georgians to honor the flag as calley had done, and to leave their headlights on to show their support. William calley charged for my lai massacre history. Calley was released to house arrest under orders by president richard nixon three days after his conviction. My lai was a subhamlet of the village of song my located in quang ngai province, republic of vietnam. As governor of georgia, he responded to the 1971 sentencing of lt. One was the massacre by united states soldiers of as many as 500 unarmed civilians old men, women, children in my lai on the morning of march 16.
The army says he deliberately murdered at least 109 vietnamese civilians during a searchanddestroy mission in march 1968 in a viet cong stronghold known as pinkville. Army early in the morning on 16 march 1968, lieutenant calley and his platoon were airlifted by helicopter to my lai, a subhamlet of the village of song my in quang ngai province, republic of vietnam. William calley, company commander captain ernest medina and brigade commander colonel oran henderson. Opinion my lai haunts the lieutenant the new york times. The lieutenant is a 1975 broadway rock opera that concerns the m. An emotional william calley says he is sorry we are not. Army forces on march 16, 1968 many of the victims were sexually abused, beaten, tortured, or maimed, and some of the bodies. My lai haunts the lieutenant the nation has finally heard a note of personal regret from william calley 38 years after he became the sole american soldier convicted in the my lai massacre of. The my lai massacre and court martial of lieutenant calley landmark law cases and american society.
The massacre at my lai was not the only time american troops committed war crimes against vietnamese civilians, but it was the single worst instance. William calley speaks to a kiwanis club in columbus, ga. This book offers clear insight into the events of the massacre, the coverup by officers in the americal division, the trial of lt. In this superb retelling of the my lai story through the prism of the law, michal belknap provides new perspectives and keen insights into core issues about the war that still divide americans today. It offers a heroic description of lieutenant william calley, who in march 1971 was convicted of murdering vietnamese civilians in the my lai massacre of march 16, 1968.
Unless you are a scholar of that war, as i am, or a veteran of that war, as i am, or unless you are over the age of. Calley is found guilty of premeditated murder at my lai by a u. William calley was the only us soldier held legally responsible for the slayings. As president trump considers pardons for war criminals, a look at back at the case of lt. Calley, though a lowranking officer in charlie company, stood out because of the sheer number of civilians he was accused of killing and ordering killed. Houston gordon, the tennessee attorney who represented lt. It was nominated for four tony awards including best musical and best book of a musical. Michael bilton is a veteran british investigative journalist who has worked for the london sunday times and yorkshire television, a documentary film company.
For many years now the young lieutenant convicted in 1971 of the murder of 22 vietnamese villagers at my lai has been regarded as a. Copy link on march 16, 1968 the angry and frustrated men of charlie company, 11th brigade, americal division entered the vietnamese village of my lai. Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from wikipedia or other free sources online. William calley is charged with six specifications of premeditated murder in the death of 109 vietnamese civilians at my lai in march 1968. But what remains an open questionand the nastiest scar of the vietnam war yet to healis how the leadership, or lack thereof, permitted such an atrocity to happen. They had found calley guilty of premeditated murder of 22 of the villagers of my lai. Calley found guilty of 22 murders from the guardian.
William calley a military prisoner peers from a us army aircraft as he is flown to federal prison at ft. William calley, the my lai massacre, and the vietnam war. Calley in 1973, has spent four decades researching, studying and pondering the causes of the massacre. The my lai massacre was a pivotal moment in that misbegotten war. Vietnam, 1968 and the descent into darkness notable historian howard jones argues that the massacre that took place on march 16, 1968 killing 504 vietnamese villagers laid bare the war, revealing that it was unwinnable and that, in the process of fighting for democracy and a way of life. Testimony and documents relating to the court martial of.
Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new. But the truth eventually emerged during the courtsmartial of platoon leader 2nd lt. After deliberating for 79 hours and 57 minutes, the jury returned a verdict. William calley makes first public apology for vietnam war. Calley s apology for his role in the 1968 my lai massacre, we can now reflect on what this story means to a world that may have forgotten the vietnam war. One rarely reads a book or watches a documentary of americas involvement in vietnam that doesnt inevitably reference the massacre at my lai in 1968.
William calley, the only soldier convicted in the my lai massacre during the vietnam war. Bilton has also taught journalism at universities in great britain. Calley, william united states army officer britannica. William calley makes first public apology for vietnam wars my lai massacre the man responsible for one of the most notorious crimes by u. Calley was last night convicted of murdering 22 people in the south vietnamese village of my lai during a massacre of civilians by american soldiers.
The my lai massacre and the courtmartial of lieutenant calley. When the story broke, many americans refused to believe it. The my lai massacre american experience official site pbs. A recent new york times editorial raised the stakes, calling him a classic scapegoat. William calley found guilty of my lai murders history. Following a petition for habeas corpus by calley, a new trial was ordered by the 5th circuit federal court in georgia. Colin powell, ernest medina, four hours in my lai, glenn andreotta, hugh thompson, jr. William calley, entered the village poised for engagement with their elusive enemy.
When they arrived shortly after dawn, the soldiersled by lieutenant william calleyfound no viet cong. There have been, over the years, many books and articles written about the my lai massacre and lt. Try searching on jstor for other items related to this book. William calley 1943 was a united states army officer and the only person convicted and imprisoned for involvement in the my lai massacre calley was born to a workingclass family and raised in miami, florida. The massacre of several hundred vietnamese civilians by u. Calley, a platoon leader, had led his men in a massacre of vietnamese. He has masterfully peeled away the complexity of the my lai massacre and its coverup to reveal more clearly than ever the dark horror, willful deceit, moral incompetence of this mass killing and its aftermath. Lai massacre was the vietnam war mass murder of unarmed south vietnamese. The my lai massacre pronunciation helpinfo, approximately mi. Calley, a platoon leader in charlie company, 1st battalion, 20th infantry, 11th infantry brigade light of.
He was americas most notorious war criminal, but nixon. Lai massacre, like many other events in vietnam, was captured on camera by u. Members of charlie company of 1st battalion, 20th infantry regiment, 11th brigade of the 23rd infantry division committed the acts under the command of captain ernest medina. The my lai massacre occurred on march 16, 1968 when us troops killed approximately 500 unarmed vietnamese civilians during the vietnam war. William calley was convicted for his role in leading the 1968 massacre of vietnamese civilians at my lai. William calley, from the earliest coverage by seymour hersch and alabama writer wayne greenhaw. Lieutenant william calley, the main perpetrator of the attacks, was later charged. He was sentenced to life in prison but served only three days because president richard nixon ordered his sentence reduced.
Vietnam to conduct interviews for a book and to do more reporting for the times. The books on my lai and the aftermath are too numerous to list, and few questions of what actually took place on the ground are left unanswered. Among the leaders of the assault was lieutenant william l. The military trial of william calley for his role in the slaughter of five hundred or more.
Finally, over fortyone years after the my lai massacre, when us troops killed more than 500 men, women and children in vietnam, the former army lieutenant who was convicted for his role in the killings has publicly apologized. Calley, and the public reaction to calleys conviction. The my lai massacre american experience official site. The military trial of william calley for his role in the slaughter of five hundred or more vietnamese civilians at my lai shocked a nation already sharply divided over a controversial war. Over fortyone years after the my lai massacre, when us troops killed more than 500 men, women and children in vietnam, the former army lieutenant who was convicted for his role in.
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