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My Lai Massacre Research Paper

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How did the My Lai Massacre impact the anti-war movement in America during the Vietnam War?

Introduction
The 1968 My Lai Massacre during the Vietnam War, whereby the majority of the village’s population were harshly killed by US soldiers. The massacre sparked major controversy in America when photos were exposed globally in 1969. The effects of the incident and the cover up increased the activity within the anti-war movement. People became aware what was truly happening in Vietnam, peace protests questioning US involvement and student demonstrations became increasingly popular. The My Lai Massacre was not the only contribution to the anti-war movement; however it was the most infamous event that became a symbol of the Vietnam War and of strong …show more content…

In April 1969, Ron Ridenhour a young GI who served in the Vietnam War sent a letter provided with evidence he had gathered of the My Lai Massacre, to President Nixon, antiwar congressman Mo Udall and other prominent men in Washington, D.C. The response was a detailed investigation, Lieutenant Calley was identified as a suspect and was charged with six counts of premeditated murder. (CHAMBERS II, JW. 2000. The Oxford Companion to American Military History: My Lai Massacre. [ONLINE] Available at: (www.encyclopedia.com/topic/My_My_Lai_incident.aspx ) [19 March 2016] In December 1969 in a publication of the Cleveland Plain Dealer Newspaper, army photographer Ronald Haeberle revealed horrific photos of the massacre's aftermath. (ANGERS, T. 2015. Nixon and the My Lai Massacre Coverup. New York Post (http://nypost.com/trent-angers/)[19 March 2016] The effects of the well-publicized incident , criminal trials, and cover-up sparked disagreements in the US involvement in the Vietnam War and aggravated the growing antiwar attitude. (ROHN, L. 2012. My Lai Massacre [ONLINE] Available at: (http://thevietnamwar.info/my-lai-massacre/)[21 March 2016] My Lai unquestionably gained more support in the idea that America should withdraw from

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