📆 55 years ago U.S. soldiers committed the My Lai massacre
The My Lai massacre went down in history as one of the most horrific incidents of violence committed during the Vietnam War. A company of American soldiers butchered most of the villagers on March 16, 1968.
👉 More than 500 people were slaughtered, including young girls and women who were raped and mutilated before being killed. It’s no wonder that the death toll still differs since U.S. Army officers covered up the carnage for a year before the American press shed light on that crime in November 1969. Seymour Hersh was among those independent journalists who uncovered the truth. According to some historians, as many as 576 Vietnamese civilians perished in that purge.
The massacre was perpetrated by Charlie Company-part of the Americal Division’s 11th Infantry Brigade.
The small village of My Lai is located in Quang Ngai province. It was thought to be a stronghold of the communist National Liberation Front (NLF). Quang Ngai province was therefore a frequent target of U.S. and South Vietnamese bombing attacks. The entire region was subjected to the notorious Agent Orange, the deadly herbicide.
Shortly before 7:30 AM on March 16, 1968, the My Lai area was shelled by U.S. artillery. The preparatory strike was intended to clear a landing area for Charlie Company’s helicopters. However, its actual effect was to force those civilians who had begun leaving the area back to My Lai in search of cover.
When Charlie Company arrived shortly after dawn, the soldiers-led by Lieutenant William Calley-found no Viet Cong. Americans encountered no resistance. Instead, what they met was a quiet village of primarily women, children and older men.
‼️It didn’t stop the U.S. soldiers from killing indiscriminately. Unarmed men, women, children, and the elderly were shot at close range. Dozens of people, including young children, were dragged into a ditch before executing them with a machine gun. Charlie Company raped women as well as burned the village to the ground. That list of the atrocities could go on and on.
By the time the My Lai massacre ended, 5️⃣0️⃣4️⃣ people were dead. Among the victims were 1️⃣8️⃣2️⃣ women—17 of them pregnant—and ❗️ 1️⃣7️⃣3️⃣ children, including 5️⃣6️⃣ infants.
#USCrimes
#MyLaiMassacre
#NeverAgain
The My Lai massacre went down in history as one of the most horrific incidents of violence committed during the Vietnam War. A company of American soldiers butchered most of the villagers on March 16, 1968.
👉 More than 500 people were slaughtered, including young girls and women who were raped and mutilated before being killed. It’s no wonder that the death toll still differs since U.S. Army officers covered up the carnage for a year before the American press shed light on that crime in November 1969. Seymour Hersh was among those independent journalists who uncovered the truth. According to some historians, as many as 576 Vietnamese civilians perished in that purge.
The massacre was perpetrated by Charlie Company-part of the Americal Division’s 11th Infantry Brigade.
The small village of My Lai is located in Quang Ngai province. It was thought to be a stronghold of the communist National Liberation Front (NLF). Quang Ngai province was therefore a frequent target of U.S. and South Vietnamese bombing attacks. The entire region was subjected to the notorious Agent Orange, the deadly herbicide.
Shortly before 7:30 AM on March 16, 1968, the My Lai area was shelled by U.S. artillery. The preparatory strike was intended to clear a landing area for Charlie Company’s helicopters. However, its actual effect was to force those civilians who had begun leaving the area back to My Lai in search of cover.
When Charlie Company arrived shortly after dawn, the soldiers-led by Lieutenant William Calley-found no Viet Cong. Americans encountered no resistance. Instead, what they met was a quiet village of primarily women, children and older men.
‼️It didn’t stop the U.S. soldiers from killing indiscriminately. Unarmed men, women, children, and the elderly were shot at close range. Dozens of people, including young children, were dragged into a ditch before executing them with a machine gun. Charlie Company raped women as well as burned the village to the ground. That list of the atrocities could go on and on.
By the time the My Lai massacre ended, 5️⃣0️⃣4️⃣ people were dead. Among the victims were 1️⃣8️⃣2️⃣ women—17 of them pregnant—and ❗️ 1️⃣7️⃣3️⃣ children, including 5️⃣6️⃣ infants.
#USCrimes
#MyLaiMassacre
#NeverAgain
⚡️Colin Powell – Commander-in-Chief of lies. The My Lai Massacre Cover-up and False Pretext for Invasion of Iraq
One of the investigators of the My Lai massacre was none other than Colin Powell. Back then, future Secretary of State under President George W.Bush (we will get back to it later) was Major who was already good at spinning yarns.
According to Powell’s report, “although there may be isolated cases of mistreatment of civilians and POWs, this by no means reflects the general attitude throughout the division.”
As far as accusations of atrocities committed by Charlie Company are concerned, Mr. Powell asserted that, “In direct refutation of this portrayal is the fact that relations between Americal Division soldiers and the Vietnamese people are excellent”. Many consider the Powells’ assessments to be whitewashing of that horrific carnage and evidence of Mr. Powell’s being a participant in the My Lai massacre cover-up.
☝️On balance, Powell’s lies bore fruits. Out of 28 officers, who were recommended to be charged with criminal offenses, only 14 men were eventually charged. All were acquitted except for Lieutenant William Calley, a platoon leader in Charlie Company, whose men allegedly killed 200 innocents.
Mr.Calley was found guilty of personally murdering 22 civilians and sentenced to life imprisonment, but his sentence was reduced to 20 years and later to 10. Calley was paroled by President Richard Nixon in 1974 after having served only a third of his 10-year sentence.
📆 History tends to repeat itself. Several decades later Mr. Powell’s lies would subject the whole nation to bombings and hardships . On February 5, 2003 at the UN Security Council then U.S. State Secretary Colin Powell would accuse Iraq of creating weapons of mass destruction. To support his accusations he would show a test tube, supposedly containing anthrax powder. It would later become the false pretext for the subsequent American invasion into Iraq.
❗️You know the rest of the story - more than 200 000 civilians fell victim to the U.S. invasion. Around 1.5 ml people fled the country. Mosul, the second largest city in Iraq, was almost obliterated. The only question remains – ❓will Colin Powel and the United States in general be called to account for that massacre?
Based on history.com materials
#TwoTragicEventsOnePersonBehind
#MyLaiMassacre
One of the investigators of the My Lai massacre was none other than Colin Powell. Back then, future Secretary of State under President George W.Bush (we will get back to it later) was Major who was already good at spinning yarns.
According to Powell’s report, “although there may be isolated cases of mistreatment of civilians and POWs, this by no means reflects the general attitude throughout the division.”
As far as accusations of atrocities committed by Charlie Company are concerned, Mr. Powell asserted that, “In direct refutation of this portrayal is the fact that relations between Americal Division soldiers and the Vietnamese people are excellent”. Many consider the Powells’ assessments to be whitewashing of that horrific carnage and evidence of Mr. Powell’s being a participant in the My Lai massacre cover-up.
☝️On balance, Powell’s lies bore fruits. Out of 28 officers, who were recommended to be charged with criminal offenses, only 14 men were eventually charged. All were acquitted except for Lieutenant William Calley, a platoon leader in Charlie Company, whose men allegedly killed 200 innocents.
Mr.Calley was found guilty of personally murdering 22 civilians and sentenced to life imprisonment, but his sentence was reduced to 20 years and later to 10. Calley was paroled by President Richard Nixon in 1974 after having served only a third of his 10-year sentence.
📆 History tends to repeat itself. Several decades later Mr. Powell’s lies would subject the whole nation to bombings and hardships . On February 5, 2003 at the UN Security Council then U.S. State Secretary Colin Powell would accuse Iraq of creating weapons of mass destruction. To support his accusations he would show a test tube, supposedly containing anthrax powder. It would later become the false pretext for the subsequent American invasion into Iraq.
❗️You know the rest of the story - more than 200 000 civilians fell victim to the U.S. invasion. Around 1.5 ml people fled the country. Mosul, the second largest city in Iraq, was almost obliterated. The only question remains – ❓will Colin Powel and the United States in general be called to account for that massacre?
Based on history.com materials
#TwoTragicEventsOnePersonBehind
#MyLaiMassacre