Mi Lai Massacre Essay

Growing up in America we are taught to love and support our troops. Many people even feel that our troops, can do no wrong and they protect our liberates , but at what cost ? We as Americans judge terrorists like Osama Bin Laden for the 9/11 terrorist attacks, but we have sayings such as “All's fair in love and war “, which raises the question does the U.S. Military commit war crimes. A war crime “is an action carried out during the conduct of a war that violates accepted international rules of war’. The international rules of war are in the Geneva conventions, which are set into 4 conventions and two protocols.the geneva basically states’’whose purpose is to provide minimum protections, standards of humane treatment, and fundamental guarantees

Studies show that our soldiers tend to treat other countries civilians harshly because of what they see in battle they don't see them as humans(Barrouquere,Brett ). The mosts detrimental war of american history is the vietnam war consequently it also had the most horrific war crimes ever done to date, it was named the “ Mi Lai Massacre “.

The “Mi Lai massacre” is known to most as the most horrific incidents of war crimes and violence against civilians during any war has America has been apart of. An American regiment led by Lieutenant general William Peers in the Mi Lai Hamlet, located in the Quang Ngai province ( Mi Lai Massacre ). There mission was a search and destroy mission ; they had received intel that the Vic Cong guerrillas had took control of Son Mi Which was a part of the Mi Lai Hamlet ( My Lai Massacre ). The regiment was named Charlie Company Of the American Divisions 11th Infantry Brigade and the soldiers morale was dwindling since the Vietnamese led tet offensive were they lost 100 men ( Mi Lai Massacre ). To make matters worse they were advised by army commanders that whoever was found in Son Mi were considered and should be considered a part of the Vic Cong or active Vic Congo or active Vic Con sympathizers and their order to disintegrate the village ( Mi Lai Massacre ). When they arrived at the village they were met with not a single Vic Cong