Historical Event Research

The conflict known as the Vietnam War (1957-75) was centered in the publically-divided country of Vietnam. “It was fought between the Communist-ruled north and the non-communist south” (Grolier). So, we as American’s tried to prevent the spread of communism, by aiding to the South Vietnamese (Vietcong). “U.S leaders also feared that all of the Southeast Asia might fall to the Communists if they were victorious in South Vietnam” (American Experience PBS).

In March 1969, one tragic episode in the pages of American military history is the massacre at My Lai. This city is located on the central coast of Vietnam, Quang Ngai Providence. There were a group of young men from all around the country; black, white, and Mexican in a platoon group called Charlie’s Company. It was voted as on of the best platoon’s during that time. Most of the young men in the group felt it was there duty to serve their country. Some of the young men came from generations of WWII and the Korean War. Their captain was named Captain Madina, who was loved and respected by his soldiers; although, he wanted his platoon to be called the “death squad” (American Experience, PBS). Their plan was to kill the North Vietnam and place an ace of spades on them as their calling card. The soldiers brought candy and cakes to the young children of Vietnam, they were trusted. The mothers were asked of their children if the American soldiers were killers, they answered no. As, the war continued on the civilians of Vietnam grew tired of the American soldiers, grew tired of the war. Soon, the boys of the Charlie Company started getting killed one by one. Whether it was booby traps, mines, or sniper fire the soldiers were getting injured. “Where do you put your feet, that choice, is life or death” (Tim O’Brien, American Experience, PBS). After almost 2 months of this, the boys were going weary.

Soon, the order came to Captain Cally, that there were many North Vietnamese soldiers were in the next village over and to attack with everything you’ve got. The boys of the Charlie Company started shooting, all of them, into the village. When the smoke cleared, they found dead woman caring children, old men, and babies. The report came across that 567 civilians were killed. This was a mistake.

I wanted to relate this historical event to the chapter in Tim O’Brien’s, The Things They Carried, How To Tell A True War Story. Tim O’Brien comments on the massacre at My Lai, but he also talks about Quang Ngai City in this chapter. “A deep pinkish red spilled out on the river” (68). The boys start to hear the mountain talk, the monkey, and the grass. They hear strange music; it makes most of the soldiers go crazy. “The guy’s can’t cope. They lose it. They get on the radio and report enemy movement-a whole army, they say-and they order up the firepower. They call in air strikes” (71).

This is the same story but told differently. In the historical event, the town of My Lai was also called Pinksville because there were so many shades of pink. The soldiers kill every civilian in both stories, whether it was a mistake or a platoon gone mad.

This research has helped me to understand this chapter because I think it was a real piece of history. Tim O’Brien, claims he was there. This is a sad point of history and it is a real side to war. This is a great correlation between history and our story we read.

Work Cited

1. http:// www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexerience/films/mylai/player
2. O’Brien, Tim. “How To Tell A True War Story”. The Things They Carried. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1990. 68,71. Print.
3. Grolier, Amy. The New Book of Knowledge. 21 vols. Danbury: Scholastic Library, 2004.