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'''My Lai''', a village in the former South [[Vietnam]], was the scene of the [[My Lai massacre]] of 16 March 1968, when [[US]] troops murdered several hundred villagers, men, women and children. The massacre prompted worldwide condemnation and reduced support for the [[Vietnam War]] in the United States.
'''My Lai''', a village in the former South [[Vietnam]], was the scene of the [[My Lai massacre]] of 16 March 1968, when [[US]] troops murdered several hundred villagers, men, women and children. The massacre prompted worldwide condemnation and reduced support for the [[Vietnam War]] in the United States.
The '''My Lai''' massacre, as reported by a [[South Vietnam]]ese army lieutenant to his superiors, was an "atrocious" incident of revenge. [[US]] forces deliberately murdered 400-500 civilians, shortly after a firefight with [[Viet Cong]] troops who had mingled with the villagers on March 16, 1968.
=== Background ===
According to University of Missouri-Kansas City law professor Doug Linder:
:GIs joked that "anything that's dead and isn't white is a [[Viet Cong|VC]]" for body count purposes. Angered by a local population that said nothing about the VC's whereabouts, soldiers took to calling natives "gooks." [http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/mylai/Myl_intro.html (source)]
=== Courtmartial ===
American Lieutenant William Calley was convicted in 1971 of premeditated murder in ordering the shootings and initially sentenced to life in prison, but 2 days later, President [[Richard Nixon]] ordered him released from prison. Calley served 3 1/2 years of house arrest in his quarters at Fort Benning Georgia and was then ordered freed by a federal judge.
[[Category:Asian Cities and Towns]]
[[Category:Asian Cities and Towns]]
[[Category:Vietnam]]
[[Category:Vietnam]]
[[Category:Vietnam War]]
[[Category:Vietnam War]]