The Massacre
Lieutenant William Calleys’s troops arrived at the Hamlet around 8 AM. They searched the village for any members of the Viet Cong, but they saw no signs of them. The only people there were women, children, and old men. Despite the fact that the enemy was not found, the killing began. The first man murdered when he was stabbed in the back with a bayonet. Then a man in his 50’s was picked up and thrown down a well, with a grenade following close behind him (6). Many were gathered into small groups and shot, others were flung into a drainage ditch and shot there (7) . There was also a significant number of people who were shot in and around their homes. Younger women and girls were raped then murdered.
Eighty civillans were abruptly taken from their homes and were rushed to the plaza. Calley told his troops “You know what I want you to do with them”. But when he returned ten minutes later and found the villagers all still alive, he said “Haven’t you got rid of them yet? I want them dead. Waste them” (8) . Calley and another soldier, Meadlo, began to fire aimlessly into the crowd. Only a few survived because the bodies of the dead had covered them.
After all this happened, the troops burned all the homes, killed the livestock, and fouled the water supply. The village was left in ruins and hundreds of corpses were scattered around the hamlet.
Eighty civillans were abruptly taken from their homes and were rushed to the plaza. Calley told his troops “You know what I want you to do with them”. But when he returned ten minutes later and found the villagers all still alive, he said “Haven’t you got rid of them yet? I want them dead. Waste them” (8) . Calley and another soldier, Meadlo, began to fire aimlessly into the crowd. Only a few survived because the bodies of the dead had covered them.
After all this happened, the troops burned all the homes, killed the livestock, and fouled the water supply. The village was left in ruins and hundreds of corpses were scattered around the hamlet.
