My Lai massacre

The 1968 killing of hundreds of unarmed Vietnamese civilians by U.S. Army soldiers in Sơn Mỹ village, South Vietnam, during the Vietnam War.

Vietnam War: A conflict from 1955 to 1975 between communist North Vietnam and South Vietnam, involving major U.S. military intervention. The massacre occurred during this war’s counterinsurgency campaign in South Vietnam.
Hugh Thompson Jr.: A U.S. Army helicopter pilot who intervened to protect Vietnamese civilians during the My Lai massacre. Thompson and his crew confronted U.S. soldiers and helped evacuate survivors.
My Lai court-martial: The U.S. Army prosecution of William Calley for murders committed during the My Lai massacre. Calley’s trial became the principal criminal proceeding arising from the killings.
My Lai photographs: Photographs taken by U.S. Army photographer Ronald Haeberle documenting victims and scenes at My Lai. Their publication contradicted official reassurances and made civilian deaths visible to the public.
My Lai rules of engagement: Directives that define when and how military forces may use force in particular operations. The killings breached basic protections for civilians, raising questions about orders and enforcement.
Sơn Mỹ massacre: The 1968 killing of civilians in Sơn Mỹ village by U.S. soldiers, commonly called the My Lai massacre. Sơn Mỹ is the village where the killings occurred; My Lai was one of its hamlets.
Ronald Ridenhour: A U.S. Army veteran whose 1969 letters prompted investigations into the My Lai killings. His letters brought detailed allegations to military and political officials.
Vietnam Veterans Against the War: An organization of U.S. veterans that opposed the Vietnam War and publicized veterans’ testimony about it. Its members used the My Lai revelations to challenge claims about U.S. conduct in Vietnam.
My Lai helicopter rescue: The intervention by Hugh Thompson Jr. and his helicopter crew to protect civilians and evacuate survivors at My Lai. The rescue is a documented instance of U.S. personnel stopping further killings.
Geneva Conventions: International treaties establishing rules for humane treatment during armed conflict and protection of civilians and the wounded. Their protections provide a legal standard against which the massacre is assessed.

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