My Lai and the Vietnam War

Par for the Course

The events of March 16th, 1968 in the village of My Lai were horrific and unnecessary acts of violence by the U.S. military. The attack by Charlie Company and other military battalions were not against enemy targets or a strategic land hold but against unarmed civilians. Some say this was an action based on confused orders and revenge against acts of violence against American soldiers. These people would also say that this was an isolated incident, blaming only the soldiers in this particular company for indiscretions. I have a contention similar to some anti-war proponents of the time: the Vietnam War had many such incidents of senseless and “confusing” orders.

From the testimony of many of the company’s soldiers, it is clear that some very vague language was used at the briefing before the action started on March 16th. Captain Medina briefed his troops, according to most testimony, to destroy the village and make it uninhabitable. To most soldiers, this meant to destroy the dwellings and supplies and anything associated with the North Vietnamese. But once in the heat of battle, orders seem to have broadened to anything in the path of the army. Orders were given to round up everyone and shoot them, creating huge piles of dead civilians in ditches along the road through My Lai. The impact of this scene upon the soldiers of Charlie Company left an unforgettable image in their mind.

We can see this impact upon many of the war’s veterans. It is difficult to imagine in such a confusing war that this was the only occasion for such atrocities. Orders were probably routinely messed up, especially with the lack of training to officers. Another reason for this being a routine problem is the need for revenge. With an enemy that is seemingly invisible, any occurrence of combat should bring about the overzealous use of force. This is not a reason to forgive these troops though; orders should be clarified and if they are deemed illegal action needs to be taken against the commanding officer and those under his charge.