Four Hours In My Lai (7 of 7)
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
- Americans tell of USA infantry massacre and rape of allied civilian women and children in South Vietnam. US Army photos and film. NOTE NOT in hostile territory, NOT an enemy village in South Vietnam, no-one properly punished. (you get more for DUI or pot than Calley got, he was out in under four months, no one else punished at all.)
Most important was that SOME Americans knew better and tried to stop it AT THE TIME.
The black guy from Detroit, the helicopter crew , Pvt Berhart and others, goes to show who has morals and who doesn't. The dude from Detriot couldn't understand how how they didn't know morals form somewhere, and the helicopter pilot and others who likened them to Nazi's and didn't go to Vietnam to be the Nazi's
You sullied your allies with this, New Zealand and Australia are still dirty from this, it doesn't wash off. Our heroes have this stain on them even if THEY did no wrong.
Yet still in Iraq CNN shows the USA continuing with NAZI tactics, using civilians (children even) under duress to check booby traps and to knock on doors of suspected ambushes, against Geneva. Using civilian contractors with No accountability. WHEN ARE THE USA GOING TO LEARN.? Stop being the Nazi's, or at least censor your press and TV stop youtube etc. Hide what you do , the Nazi's at least knew that one, be decent enough to have shame.
Same with the BAIT for SNIPER programme, if bullets were left near a school in your town would someone other than a terrorist pick them up, would it be okay for a Army sniper to kill them as a terrorist then.? I can think of LOTS of reasons someone other than a terrorist would remove pyrotechnics, left lying around by the US army as bait.
Some people just are not thinking it's the old oxymoron "military intellegence".
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As a U.S.Army infantry Veteran of the same time, all recruits were taught in basic training on, that prisoners of war were to be treated humanely. So even if these civilians were by some stretch of imagination war prisoners, what was done was against known regulations. Therefore hiding behind these excuses to follow orders to kill these people was total B.S. Those troops were the biggest collection of cowards ever to be gathered in one place at one time.
Probably the most important documentary I've ever seen. Should be shown in schools.
+cyberskin1 thats where I saw it, but I'm not American
we watch it in university (in the Netherlands)
It is shown in schools but the higher years
I saw this in high school
It’s stayed with me ever since
I had a solid geography teacher who would talk about current events and throw some history in there too. He showed us this documentary years ago and it’s stuck with me. Everyone should see this
Varnado looked like he was in so much pain.
He left out the part when he raped young lil girls!!!!!!!! It’s a know fact he was one of the many who decided to behave like a demon and f’ing rape!!!! Anyone!! !!! They did care the age. Etc!!!!!!! And when the we’re done- they were torture, sliced up, or shot. Like F’ing nothing 😪😔
"I believe that God is understanding enough to welcome Vernado into His kingdom. Varnado is truly repentant for the sins of his past (like alot of GI's). God bless you, Varnado Simpson. From Marine to Soldier: SEMPER FI!"
Totally, Just Tragic, God bless you Jason 🫶
I think the worst part of this whole scenario is that there wasn't even any gain for anyone, the entire incident had nothing positive for anybody.
Except the war profiteers and their politician partners who orchestrated the whole thing, Bell Howell, GE, AT&T, Johnson, Drake and Piper, Brown & Root, Halliburton, J.A. Jones Construction, Raymond International, Morrison-Knudsen, etc...
Torch1028
True
It did for the Nva it gave them more an excuse to rape and murder because that is what they did
Disregard that Communist Russia, Communist China, and Communist North Vietnam funneled billions of dollars worth of guns, mortars, tanks, and war supplies down into South Vietnam by violating the neutrality of Cambodia and Laos for decades. A proxy war against America fought in poor South Vietnam. Sure it was all the fault of our leaders and corporations. Overlook the bloody war fought in South Korea and the captive countries in Europe. Blame the Capitalists.
The result of communism. Proven by history over and over.
"Beware the Military Industrial Complex"
for one year they labeled the incident as "400 enemies killed". it was only because that photographer had a second camera & documented it. the military industrial complex is guilty of so much horror
At least the guy shows remorse. Not right what he done. But he was a victim of Calley, Medina and the US hierarchy.
This is just tragedy from beginning to end. That devastaded guy has SEVERE PTSD. Back when this documentary was made they didn´t know much about that condition.
OR 'they' didn't want to acknowledge it's existence?
my uncle 65-69 1st Cav in Vietnam told me that massacres like My Lai, the American troops committed many others but without witnesses ... he was there
the fear of the enemy, the anguish of ambushes, the drug which was consumed everywhere, many were who after a certain time wanted to desert wondering what they were doing in this hell,
soldiers killed non-commissioned officers and even officers during operations when they were so exhausted.
my uncle saw a psychopathic sergeant who systematically executed old people when they arrived in a village, he was killed by one of the soldiers in operation with his squad, the army read issued the certificate of the field of honor.
he told me he preferred Korea.
Thanks for the upload. Excellent documentary.
As the interview with Varnado Simpson progressed, you can tell he became more and more agitated, especially after talking about the death of his son in 1977. His daughter tragically died of meningitis in the 90s and just a couple years after that he ended up taking his own life, in May of 1997.
Yes tragic, i have watched a lot of clips about My Lai and seen the hateful comments towards these men but I have nothing but compassion for these guys..My Lai was just the beginning of Vernados nightmare man they suffered, it’s just tragic all round RIP Vernado you were and are still loved by many..
@@Roscoe.P.Coldchain You jave compassiom for sadists, rapists, child murderers. wtf is wfong with you??
You're absolutely right. Simpson (thanks for the name, by the way) was one of the victims of this incident. I was a soldier... and in some way I understand his story. It's easy to say, "I wouldn't have participated in something like this". But would we? I truly don't know. All in all, it's a very sad thing that happened in My Lai. But not all American soldiers were (are) like that. I know enough of 'em to say so!
I really think there are three types of individuals here:
1) those that had the moral backbone to refuse to participate in the slaughter in any way (and, in the case of Hugh Thompson, took the initiative to do everything in his power to stop it);
2) those who got "caught up in the rapture"of the moment, so to speak, but came to regret it once that "moment" had passed, and there was time for relection; and
3) those who participated, and have never since felt any sense of remorse.
Varnando Simpson was a victim, too. I hope he has found the peace of god.
The only person who had the balls to admit what he did and feel sorry
All the others are acting like scared kids,i didnt know,i couldnt do anything etc
No one here has the right to judge that man until they themselves have been in the situation he was in. Being brainwashed into a killer robot and then to be ordered to shoot those people, with all the paranoia and fear for his own life, he was supposed to be able to think clearly?
It's easy to forgive him. He is clearly a good man. A good man who made one mistake, as we al have. His mistake just happened to be a big one. But one mistake does not make him a bad man.
pool dog Of course you can't judge that man. You don't have a clue what he has been through. If you are going to harbor a grudge then direct it at those soldiers who actually defend the massacre and claim they did nothing wrong. At least this man admitted his mistakes and as a result he was riddled with guilt eventually driving him to suicide. I am pretty sure he never had a happy moment in his life ever since the killings. Useless guilt because you can't change the past.
We've all made mistake but murdering 25 women and children is not a mistake.
Good to know you're so much better a person than those you judge.
You're talking politics. I'm talking psychology. You'd have killed the kids in Mylai for sure. Your self-righteousness makes you perfect fodder for the snapping that takes place in battle.
You're far too bright for me to argue with. I capitulate in the face of such overwhelming intellect.
As an American and Navy vetron, with over 23 years service, this was hard to watch. It's stunning that Americans are capable of committing atrocities like My Lai and Abu Ghraib. WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THE GOOD GUYS!
VERY valid point -- which is one of the BIGGEST reasons WHY I have a TON of compassion for our soldiers who are willing to die for a cause 3,000 miles away from their homeland. Regarding Vietnam - those who were drafted into the military to go there is NOT the same as the volunteer military we have today. That backed up resentment can cause a TON of potential anger to get released in some very "compromising"and "stressful" situations -- especially when one's life is on the line.
I arrived in Vietnam in August of 1969. I was assigned to an helicopter aviation company. My job training was for helicopter repair. When I first arrived in-country at Cam Rahn Bay, I had spent about 2 weeks in jungle school where we young inexperienced American soldiers were taught about the dangers of a typical Vietnamese village controlled by the Viet Cong. There were home made booby traps and simulated landmines that were hidden throughout the grass straw shacks. I tripped 3 land mines the first day. A puff of white smoke and a whistle sound signaled I was dead if it had been a real explosive device. I was really depressed because of my blunders. A Sargeant would slap a tag on my Army shirt which read DEAD. But I did pass the course and I got a nice certificate for the jungle school.
One night, in my hooch, a bunch of us soldiers gathered and discussed among ourselves the war and our responsibilities to the Vietnamese enemy combatants we had to fight and kill. We knew they were ordered to kill us. And we had to kill them or be killed by them. We had no choice because we were in a war. Then we wondered if God would forgive us for killing the enemy. The Bible said Thou shalt not kill. Again, we didn't have free will because we were in war. We went to sleep and got up the following day, starting a tour of duty for about 1 year and God knows what would happen to us in hostile Vietnam.
It looks like Varnado is doing the "Thorazine Shuffle", high doses of the anti-psychotic cause uncontrollable leg and arm movements, it's just so totally sad all around.
He's dead now..killed himself FINALLY
He even lost his son by gunfire. Life came full circle! I feel bad for everone exept for Captain Medina and 2LT Calley. Those Civilians are in heaven. I even have some empathy for those young Soldiers 18,19 year-olds who were still not of full mind. They looked up to their Sergeants, and officers like a child looks up to a parent.These young Soldiers were failed by their leadership or lack of leadership!
Simpson is a tortured soul.
ManInTheBigHat he killed himself in 97
How does Calley sleep at night? He sleeps at night because he is a monster inside. The people who committed these crimes are monsters inside. No other way around it.
The people who committed those crimes were not monsters but humans.
Just google ''Stanley Milgram'' and ''Stanford prison experiment''.
derdesdemden1234 This is very late but they’re monster inside how could they kill Babies and children they can’t question the order they were given that the people were dangerous?
Thank you so much for posting this documentary. It has so much relevance today. What makes me angry as well, is that some members of the public try and prevent things like this from being discussed, accusing some of lies and dishonouring the brave warriors. The select few who do these crimes must be made accountable otherwise everyone is stained with these horrors.
And he ended up killing himself in 1997.
Sad
It is a crime by sending so many young boys to the battle field fighting for their country via senseless killing .
Well said yourself, jordinh. I can't recall if they stated it in the video, but the book "Four Hours in My Lai" makes the very good point that the way we (our government AND populace) responded -- or failed to respond -- to these atrocities pretty much undermined the principles we had so painstakingly established during the Nazi war crimes trials. Especially the one about "just following orders" not negating one's culpability for crimes against humanity.
War is war, people can snap. I hope Venardo Simpson found peace.
Please leave these videos up. I am a teacher and would like to use these in my class room. I will get to Vietnam in May. Thanks. I like to show all sides of history.
This is extremely sad for everybody involved. This 7 part series should be shown to every senior in high school in this country. These poor people. The suicidal guy, I feel so sad for him and all of them, guilty or not. That is a hard burden to handle. Wars must end. All Americans are partly responsible for these actions, even in Iraq...We are guilty...
4800mg of meds. per day; that is incredible; see the parallels between vietnam and modern day iraq, 2003.
Very thoughtful, honest reflection on your part, Jordan. I'm WAY PAST 18 now, so it is kind of hard to say for sure how I would have reacted myself at 18. Like you, I would like to think I would not have fired, but if someone threatened to shoot me on the spot, well..!!! Boy, it sure is comfortable here at the keyboard where I don't have to make that decision!!!
charlie company:
"courage was seen as stupidity
cowardice was cunning and wariness
cruelty and brutality was sometimes seen as heroic"
Thank you for posting this extremely important video.
5:55 -To all those doubters out there, may I just say this; sometimes those who have REALLY experienced hell on Earth do - finally - feel that they've suffered enough and decide to take that final step into oblivion/possible retribution. RIP this poor gentleman and so many, many like him...
The two guys who refused still give me faith in the human spirit. In the face of such horror they acted in a way I expect from soldiers. Very sad, murder seems to destroy everybody involved in it.
I was 12 when My Lai happened, 14 when it came to light. Till that point I was ambivalent about the war. I was devastated to realize Americans could do this: All this time I had naively thought we were all on the same page when it came to the idea that we were there to help the Vietnamese people, not to treat them as subhuman garbage.
But what really affected me most wasn't the killing itself -- it was the response of the American people...
Elvis Presley was a bad influence in the 50's. The hippies were in the 60's. America was becoming more immoral, rebellious and arrogant. The military didn't have the moral public backing that it needed. The nation was in need of didactic teaching and a loving media, but they were treated as objects and cannon fodder by the political elite. Hanoi Jane had no sexual morality but she could debase the military on a world scale and get away with it. Channels 3, 6 and 10 could fill the world with distortion of the war all the while naive young men were being brought to a stinky place of danger, risking their morals and life.
MY FEELINGS THEN AND MY FEELINGS NOW
That's why WE can't nor must judge people (even if they did the most horrible thing ever). There's always something that makes men act like that : mental illness, fear of getting killed, egoism, selfish feelings, etc, etc.
THAT'S our lessons in life. We are put here to learn so we can heal and learn from previous mistakes and to evolve as souls.
Hate must not be cured nor erased with HATE, only with LOVE !
It's your shame that makes you worthwhile. It's the correct thing to feel when watching this
@Hperman09 This documentary is about My Lai. There is no implication here that we ignore the atrocities carried out by the VC or the NVA, and it's not directly relevant to the actions carried out by the infantry at My Lai, My Khe, and Son My. Adding those sorts of caveats could constitute a rationalization. Besides, what the VC did with members of the ARVN seems a bit apples-oranges; the victims at My Lai were noncombatants.
this is why people dont want to tell war stories they dont want their family to know what they are. ptsd is remembering the kids u killed
Not anymore, he is dead. Every man had the option to do what the guy from Detroit did, stand up and refuse the illegal orders. He admitted scalping those allied villagers. People from the nation USA was sent to protect.
How I would like to see the criminals in Congress who keep war mongering suffer like Vernardo.... no more grand standing self promoting arrogant self glorifying speeches at our expense... just quivering little men who talk big.
Pt 1 of several - I just watched this 7 part series, and feel compelled to share some thoughts that I feel are missing, to give hopefully a little clearer understanding of what American troops faced in areas like My Lai. I was a Prisoner Of War interrogator for the Army in 1968. I served in the Americal Division. I conducted field interrogations in the hamlets of My Lai, prior to March 1968, as well as with Vietnamese captured from that area, and brought into our base camp.
Pt 6 of 9 - This wasnt the way it was in JUST the My Lai area either. There were enemy strongholds in village after village; hamlet after hamlet around South Vietnam. Some areas were stronger enemy saturated than others, usually for strategic reasons.
Pt 7 of 9 - As a local Vietnamese living in those enemy controlled areas, you tried to passify the American soldiers during the day if they came to your area, which was the easiest to DO because at night when the Viet Cong and the NVA came out of hiding from underneath the ground in that very area retribution was waiting you if you ratted on their hideouts/whereabouts; etc to the very point of being murdered by them if there was so much as a HINT that you ratted on them.
I too couldn't believe he admitted to the atrocities. Though I personally don't believe, I feel the public confessions must give some (but not full) remittance to his sole if it is judged in an afterlife. His sorrow and attachment of his family misfortune to his own actions seemed heart felt.
Vernardo committed suicide a few years after these interviews. He couldn't stand the guilt of killing innocent men women and children...20 of them...especially when he killed the mother holding her 4 month old baby.
@karlsmith00 I have to agree with you. If any of you guys found out that your child, parent, friend, sibling or whoever close to you was raped, tortured and killed, you wouldn't feel any remorse, forgiveness and/or understanding for these people. Anyone who defends those that were part of the massacre and say "they were just following orders, they were trained to do kill" need to get their brain checked. What about the others that didn't follow orders, like Hugh Thompson?
no mate you not evil you was just a little boy and should never been there in the first place this so sad all so mindless and pointless Johnson Nixon Kennedy these are some of the people that are to blame LIES LIES LIES AFTER LEIS and now look at the mess these people are in now
You know, a good rope and gravity will always result in death. This fucker didn't really want to kill himself. As Yoda said, "There is no try. There is do or do not!"
that man Varnado Simpson committed suicide in 1997 citing his guilt over several murders committed in My Lai as the reason on his suicide note. That was his sentence, his guilt and his suicide were his punishment for his crimes
Pt 9 of 9 - War is an atmosphere where evil madness (an open emotional door for insane RAGE to take over a person) can PROSPER easier than what most realize. Only a soldier in serious combat realizes that, to the fullest extent, or a policeman or policewomen when someone is trying to take them out for simply trying to enforce the law for the betterment of ones community and country.
"His face was like the same face of the child that I had killed." Wow - this is haunting. I wonder what happened to this man, I hope he didn't kill himself.
He did
Before he was prescribed those drugs, I wonder what 'performance' enhancing medication was slipped into their 'c' rations or water before My Lai? It has been done in many combat situations and is still being done to this day.
Kudos to you for standing up. Thank you! These trolls on this page who left such ignorant comments couldn't stand for anything. Bet the only thing they could stand up for is a free handout from the gov. Signs of the times. Like Bob Marley said, "SAY SOMETHING."
good documentary however i'm surprised they didn't mention Seymour Hersh because I thought he was the first journalist to break the story. I'm also surprised that the documentary didn't mention what John Pilger said to quote him "649 reporters in Vietnam on March 16, 1968-the day that the My Lai massacre happened-and not one of them reported it."
This man actually committed suicide in 1997
@Hperman09 I would add that the atrocities carried out by the VC at Hue, Dak son, etc., are indeed documented here on RUclips, and none of those presentations mention My Lai. Why would they?
at the end of the day deep deep dpwn they knew what they were doing but they were so nervous of mucking up for there country and being called a coward that there mind played tricks on them which is why he blanked out and why they all did
'Operation Cast Lead' just last year is today's My Lai. Fallujah Iraq is the My Lai of 2004.
Good documentary, some powerful stuff.
Through his actions, Lt. Calley not only destroyed the lives of innocent men, women, and children in Vietnam, but he also destroyed the lives of his own soldiers as well.
I went through training and was taught, what a legal order was, and the spirit of the bayonet, and the rules of Geneva.
If they want to be NAZIS, then they call down the reaction we have to NAZIS. Not everybody was being a Nazi, they can't use that excuse, not everybody was under the spirit of the bayonet, they can't use that excuse. The victims were women and kids. Like the same thing to happen in Coogee one day to Aussie women and kids.? Then there is no excuse is there.? They need to die.
I've service in Afghanistan and I plan to continue to stay in uniform for a while longer. I want to believe that I have enough character to ensure nothing like this would happen on my watch! Having said that, I won't judge the troopers involved in My Lai and Abu Ghraib. They have to live with their actions.
@bausy88 who is Vernado Simpson? The guy in this vid at the start?
"Please, it happens in every country."
I'm swedish, have a source on where sweden did this ?
I see this comment is 10 years old...but just wanted to say...
Vikings.
What a truly awful story. I'd never heard of the My Lai massacre until I read a piece about the forthcoming Oliver Stone Movie - Pinkville.
I think there's something commendable in Varnado's admission of his part in the massacre. At least he acknowledged what he did, which is more than can be said for the others who were there that day and who played their part, but who haven't come forward and expressed remorse for what they did.
(Just noticed I never finished my 1st comment. Here goes:)
But what really affected me most wasn't the killing itself - it was the response of the American people: tremendous support for Calley, speaking invitations with fat honorariums, contributions to his legal defense fund, acclaim for him as an "American hero", and no concern for his guilt or innocence. Basically, to so many of us, Vietnamese lives were so meaningless that what happened to those hundreds of people was of no import...
The tricky part is the military training. Sure, many soldiers refused to follow orders but some minds are more susceptible to conditioning than others. If you grow up in an environment of strong morals, chances are even the risks of disobeying orders will stop you from murder. However, not everyone is the same. They may have known it was immoral but if the military conditioning is strong enough, it's hard to say if they would think they had a choice.
very sad
probably not good enough if you're the only one of a 21-man family surviving.
I feel sorry for that last interviewee. His life must be complete hell. I wonder if he is still alive.
His suicide attempts ended successfully in 1997
I never looked at it that way, very well said. It is not up to the Americans to prosecute, should be UN. Oh yeah.. we are the UN.
Was his medicine causing him to be all bouncy the entire time?
It was really distracting me.
This guy committed suicide 15 years ago
Confident enough not tp be scared of infants and old women. Pretty easy NOT to kill THEM, well at least if we had round them up and identified them. Maybe if we were at a distance and didn't know what we were shooting at, but the US Army photographer SHOWS they were a point blank and had CAPTURED these people THEN executed them. So what was your point again, no it didn't make me feel like killing civilians for sport, I didn't do that, none of us did.
@The336336336 You've alleged bias, but you haven't indicated where that bias lies, cited an example, or suggested what might have motivated it. You've merely cited conditions. As for being produced by non-Americans, you seem to be suggesting that an American production would be less bias. I fail to see how a British production would necessarily be more biased than an American one. Considering the parties involved, one would think the opposite.
@5:06 "It's strong, strong"
spawaritc: As a vet of Vietnam,and can say this,the actions of these soldiers SHOULD be judged,,,what would be justice,is,what they did,they should have been lined up,and mowed down with machine guns for what they did ,and you wonder why other countries hate America
The last thing he said was very true. People think My Lai was an exception, when over a million Vietnamese civilians were killed on both sides. The excuse was they were hostile/were a threat, that is what total war is like, that's what it's always been like. What they did is evil, but I don't think they can be solely blamed for their actions.
Sorry didn't check, I am both Aussy since 1992 and Kiwi from birth, with an Aussy wife, but the sentiment is the same, they sullied both our nations, and are staining us still in Iraq and showing it on CNN. Thanks for commenting.
dude who lost his son finally took his own life in 1997. Shot himself with a shotgun. War destroys everything Respect honurable soldiers hate war!
Just researched that poll I mentioned. It was conducted by Harris in April 1971, and included this question:
"Do you tend to agree or disagree with the Army Court-martial Board that found Lt. William Calley guilty (in the My Lai incident)?"
Results -
Disagree: 65%
Agree: 24%
Not sure: 11%
Speaking for myself, this still haunts me as much as the massacre itself does.
Simpson is at peace. He has been to hell while alive. Heartfelt regret equals absolution.
A pea brain came up with the concept of "war on terror" and not in his ignorance could he see the fact that war IS terror.
Shit like this happens when we go against our true nature, like killing.
OM MANI PADME HUNG
How many more My Lai's are there ??
Past,present and future.
Very sad.
Hypocritical,power crazed bullies.
The establishment's reluctance to punish (and therefore acknowledge and possibly learn) following the "Peer's inquiry" just shows how conceited this particular superpower really is.
There a disgrace.
Actually they did brag, there is another clip in from Germany were they are on a bus and are cocky about it, I thought I had replied this already.
I used to feel POWERFULL behind my FN7.62 so I don't know that you are correct
And to which category does Mr. William Calley belong? Well, Mr. Calley has been kind enough to grace us with a memoir, "Body Count", ©1971, in which he explains his moral logic:
"And babies. On babies everyone's really hung up. 'But babies! The innocent babies!'...[but] if we're in Vietnam another ten years, if your son is killed by those babies, you'll cry at me, 'Why didn't you kill those babies that day?'"
Why didn't we kill those babies when we had the chance? Is that who we are?
bad guys.?, that would be people who kill civilians, or who disregard the Geneva Convention.? So the soldiers who got the old dude to see if it was a IED, or that little girl to see if the door was booby trapped need to be dead (on CNN), or the Abu Ghraib guards, or Gitmo guards, and the CIA, and Calley and his men all need to be dead.? I am with you on that. They need to be DEAD, you said it.
It would seem that we've evolved since then. And since then we've not been in war for 200 years. We've been neutral or acted for peace. And as you said, saved our own asses. Tho in ww2 we didn't side with teh nazis, we just allowed them passage, nor did we help our neighbours when they were walked all over.
How eerie to see this, because Thompson did end up ending his life in 1992. Just put his name in wiki. What a completely tortured soul.
I agree with the one guy who refused the order when he asked, "where are these people's sense of morality? You could get it from a stranger at least." It sickens me to think that their LT is out living his life after being sentenced to a life term. WTF? Reminds me of Abu Ghraib and how only the lower enlisted got sentences. At least with that issue a lot of the officers were removed from their command. Even the general, they fired reassigned her ass to some piss ant job elsewhere.
It´s based on the book "4 Hours in My Lai" by two splendid american authors, not researched by brits.
There's no argument that prosecutions for My Lai should have gone higher. For one thing, Medina should have been sentenced harshly for the way he incited this rampage. But that does NOT nullify the fact that accountability extends to ALL levels. If you witness a fellow soldier raping and butchering a young girl or shooting unarmed civilians, infants amongst them, your duty - as an American, as a soldier, as a human - is to defend the innocent, not to turn away, and DEFINITELY not to participate.
The only people who acted with honor on the US side that day were Andreotta, Colburn and Thompson - heroes to a man, make no mistake. Had they not intervened, many more may have died. It's just a shameful wonder that at least some of that murderous mob didn't follow their example, and do what they could to stop the slaughter. And in case you're silly enough to have swallowed all the bleating from Calley, Hodges, and others about 'following orders' as a justification for such actions, remember this: the Nazis were tried and executed at Nuremberg for such crimes, despite pleading the same spineless excuse.
This is how every killer should live. They should live and be tormented with the evil deed they committed and confess. The sad and ironic thing about this killer is more like him are probably being honored at some VFW lodge and live on to be called heroes.
...Of course, many were horrified at the revelations about My Lai, and even moreso at the ensuing miscarriage of justice. And if the number of Calley supporters was limited to only 5 or 10% of the US, I could understand that. In fact, though, (if I recall correctly the poll taken at that time) it was well over 50%. And in fact, it was primarily due to this huge groundswell of support that Nixon -- out of cold, political calculation -- did his best to make the prosecutions quietly go away.
I am sorry to hear that. Did you know him?
fucking hell, varnado simpson had the worst life ever.
these comments are insensitive and disgusting. try and step in someone else's shoes before you say shit like that.
ive never seen someone so damn traumatized. i feel like im sinning for feeling sorry for varnado, though what happened to him he totally deserved. its really heartbreaking shit to hear these kinds of stories.