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A young girl tries to button up her blouse after being abused, along with others, by US Army soldiers. They will all be shot shortly after, a total of 504 Vietnamese civilians, in what is known as the My Lai massacre. It is March 16, 1968
The American soldiers tortured, raped and killed in retaliation for a clash with the Vietcong militia, and were stopped by a US reconnaissance helicopter. The pilot and two officers stood between the last civilians and the rest of their colleagues, with guns drawn, saving at least 11 defenseless Vietnamese. They will receive a medal 30 years later for their courage.
The My Lai massacre continued to be denied, refuted and silenced by the Americans for years. Even Colin Powell, at the time major in charge of the investigation, wrote that the relations between the US army and Vietnamese civilians were excellent. Powell would become US Secretary of State in 2001.
As for the perpetrators, among the dozens of soldiers on trial, only Lieutenant William Calley was sentenced to life in prison, and President Nixon commuted his sentence to house arrest, of which he would serve only 3 years.
He would publicly apologize in 2009 for the crimes committed.
The photo, and much of the testimony of the atrocities committed, are by war photographer Ron Haeberle.
"Utterly disgusting. A massive shame against US military and the animals responsible were not even prosecuted save for one whose punishment was minimal"
"And they are still doing it, but you won't read about it because the military won't let it be known."
ht Anna Horton
English
