50th Anniversary of My Lai Massacre

[rob_fmttm]

Today is the 50th anniversary of the My Lai Massacre, when US soldiers raped and murdered 500 Vietnamese civilians and burned their homes. Only one man resisted, Warrant Officer Hugh Thompson, leading his flight crew he stopped the massacre by blocking the American soldiers, turning rifles on them and threatening to kill them, which saved countless lives. He later testified against the murderers. For this, he was denounced as a traitor, and spent much of his life suffering from depression, PTSD, and nightmares. He died in 2006. Today, he represents the importance of disobeying orders and enduring the hate of the public for doing what’s right. I wish we had more of him.
(this was taken from facebook post)

 

[SalfordBoro]

Good for him, think I will do a bit of reading up on that massacre.

 

[271266]

The My Lai massacre happened on 16th March 1968.

 

[rob_fmttm]

OOps I have clicked on an old facebook link - but the story was very interesting and very sad, too.

 

[271266]

Shocking episode in a futile war.Only one soldier Lt William Calley was convicted.He was originally given life imprisonment but only served 2 or 3 years.

 

[rob_fmttm]

I have been fortunate enough to visit Hanoi and later Phnom Penh and there is plenty of evidence of the horrors of the Vietnam War perpetrated by the American forces. Without the liberating (North) Vietnamese and absolutely no thanks to the west Pol Pot might well have wiped out the population of Cambodia, as if 2 million dying was not genocide enough.

 

[jeff_potato]

PBS showed the Ken Burns documentary on Vietnam a few weeks back. I watched the whole thing and you can really see how something atrocious like that was clearly bound to happen with the way so many people were conducting themselves.

Max Hastings' book on Vietnam was an excellent read to go into even further detail after watching. 'An epic tragedy' is a most appropriate title.

 

[271266]

The Ken Burns documentary "The Vietnam War" is one of the finest pieces of television ever made giving a very balanced view from veterans and their families from both sides.Well worth a watch and very moving especially the last episode.
I've visited Ho Chi Minh City(most people there still call it Saigon) and was amazed how welcoming and friendly the locals were especially to Americans after what they did.
Not usually one for museums but visited the War Museum.Harrowing experience looking at some of the images.The effects of agent orange still felt today.

 

[Redwurzel]

It showed the so called good guys could do evil things in certain circumstances and with racist conditioning. Also covered up by the US Armed forces. Another lesson from history.

 

[Nero]

It showed the so called good guys could do evil things in certain circumstances and with racist conditioning. Also covered up by the US Armed forces. Another lesson from history.

Indeed. It doesn't fit the narrative of the West being the good guys. The Vietnam War might not have happened if the French just accepted they were no longer Imperial.

 

[asredastheycome]

The Ken Burns documentary "The Vietnam War" is one of the finest pieces of television ever made giving a very balanced view from veterans and their families from both sides.Well worth a watch and very moving especially the last episode.
I've visited Ho Chi Minh City(most people there still call it Saigon) and was amazed how welcoming and friendly the locals were especially to Americans after what they did.
Not usually one for museums but visited the War Museum.Harrowing experience looking at some of the images.The effects of agent orange still felt today.

Agree about the documentary its brilliant.

Good song about Agent Orange. Live a capella version.

Kate Wolf - Agent Orange (Live)

 

[Redwurzel]

I agree the French should have handed Vietnam back to the Vietnamese after WW2 like UK did with India. This built up a lot of mistrust of Western democracies and helped make the Communists more popular. Add in splitting the country in 2 and denying a one nation vote and who are building up trouble. Then 100% backing corrupt politicians who denied rights to the Buddist majority in the South and more trouble. Also failing to accept and possibly recognise it was a war of independence as much as a war about capitalism v communism. Then sending in 500,000 troops and showing little regard for civilian lives in rural areas or unable to because of the cultural differences. Almost mistake after mistake. Strangely the liberal US Presidents did the damage and the anti-communist hawk Nixon pulled the US out.

 

[Nero]

I agree the French should have handed Vietnam back to the Vietnamese after WW2 like UK did with India. This built up a lot of mistrust of Western democracies and helped make the Communists more popular. Add in splitting the country in 2 and denying a one nation vote and who are building up trouble. Then 100% backing corrupt politicians who denied rights to the Buddist majority in the South and more trouble. Also failing to accept and possibly recognise it was a war of independence as much as a war about capitalism v communism. Then sending in 500,000 troops and showing little regard for civilian lives in rural areas or unable to because of the cultural differences. Almost mistake after mistake. Strangely the liberal US Presidents did the damage and the anti-communist hawk Nixon pulled the US out.

It's almost as if the Americans couldn't face their mistakes so pushed on into even more. I think initially their intentions were good, but got dragged into something they couldn't comprehend.

 

[Redwurzel]

Nero I agree about digging themselves in deeper, the US military answer to anything was more troops and more bombing. I don't think they understood enough from the beginning and possibly did want to know, they seemed to think it was Korea Part 2, until they were in the thick of it.