On March 16, 1968 a terrible massacre occurred at My Lai, called The My Lai Massacre. The following massacre should have never happened and the event's that followed the massacre are typical of any American wrongdoing. That's why it wasn't in my US History book. They covered it up and the people involved in the massacre received no punishment except for one soldier.

My US History book: The Story of America Volume 2 doesn't even touch on this dark moment in US history. The closest that they come to my topic is the eight pages about the Vietnam War. Within these pages they talked about Nixon being elected to presidency in 1968. He received 43 percent of the popular vote only 1 less than Humphrey. He sought to please the middle class income voters and people who were neither radicals nor reactionaries. The middle class was worried about the high taxes and rising prices. So Nixon concentrated on ending the inflation, he ordered a wage-and-price freeze for 90 days. In this 90 days he set up a special committee to supervise wages and prices. Then announced guidelines to place maximum limits on future increases in wages and prices. This did slow down inflation. Another key point

According to eyewitness reports offered after the event, several old men were bayoneted and praying women and children were shot in the back of the head, and at least one girl was raped, and then killed. For his part, Calley was said to have rounded up a group of the villagers, ordered them into a ditch, and mowed them down in a fury of machine gun fire. (Vietnam Online)

The Charlie Company soldiers were brought by helicopter (Gettleman). The soldiers entered My Lai expecting fierce combat with a Viet Cong battalion believed to be at My Lai. "For the past three months the American unit had been in no major battles but had suffered a lot of casualties from snipers, mines, and booby traps. The soldiers were ready to prove themselves, ready to exact revenge on the enemy"(The My Lai Massacre).

Even after they killed them they even went a step further by mutilating their bodies by carving "C Company" into their chests (Patrick).

You didn't have to look for people to kill, they were just there. I cut their throats, cut off their hands, cut out their tongues, scalped them. I did it. A lot of people were doing it and I just followed. I just lost all sense of direction.(The My Lia Massacre)

The My Lai massacre shouldn't have ever occurred but unfortunately 100's of massacres just like this one have happened just never been reported or put out for the public to know. The U.S. Army gave no punishment to the soldiers and tried to hide it as long as they could.

The Charlie Company soldiers met no Viet Cong soldiers though. Then William Calley ordered the slaughter of the civilians of My Lai. This should have never happened just because you don't find the enemy doesn't give you the right to kill the villagers. Also the inhumane way they killed t

Some common words found in the essay are:
Vietnam War, Lai Massacre, William Calley, Charlie Company, Massacre Lai, Viet Cong, Ron Ridenhour, Benning Georgia, Lia Massacre, America Volume, lai massacre, charlie company, american troops, history book, william calley, lai massacre charlie, life prison, wages prices, viet cong, heroes massacres, public army, massacre lai massacre, massacre charlie company, charlie company soldiers, lai massacre lai,
Approximate Word count = 1193
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)