On the anniversary of My Lai: Do Americans really care if we fight honorably?
Steven Katz
March 16 marks the 52nd anniversary of the My Lai Massacre in South Vietnam where Army Lt. William Calley and his unit intentionally violated the warfighting principle of humanity.
Calley and his men disregarded the civilian immunity of the villagers of My Lai by murdering some 500 Vietnamese civilians, including more than 350 women, children and babies. They perpetrated these acts despite facing no resistance and finding only a few weapons in the town. Calley was the only person convicted of war crimes in connection with My Lai and sentenced to life in prison. However, shortly after Calley was sentenced, President Richard Nixon, with strong support from the American people, intervened in the judicial process to remove him from prison. Nixon placed him under house arrest until he was paroled in 1974.
https://www.militarytimes.com/opinion/commentary/2020/02/16/on-the-anniversary-of-my-lai-do-americans-really-care-if-we-fight-honorably/
