My Lai Massacre
The My Lai Massacre occurred on March 16, 1968, during the Vietnam War. American soldiers from the Charlie Company killed between 347 and 504 unarmed South Vietnamese civilians, including women, children, and the elderly, in the hamlets of My Lai and My Khe. The incident was part of a search-and-destroy mission aimed at eliminating suspected Viet Cong fighters.
The massacre was initially covered up by the U.S. Army but later became public knowledge, leading to widespread outrage. In 1971, Lieutenant William Calley, the officer in charge, was court-martialed and found guilty of murder, receiving a reduced sentence that sparked further controversy.