Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How many Vietnamese civilians was William Calley convicted of murdering?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
My Lai Massacre
Vietnamese citizens photographed during the My Lai Massacre, March 16, 1968.
At the conclusion of his court-martial in March 1971, William Calley was found guilty of the murder of 22 Vietnamese civilians.1
Although he had initially been charged with the murder of 109 civilians in September 1969, the final conviction was specifically for the 22 deaths. This event, which took place during the Vietnam War, remains a stark reminder of the moral necessity to uphold the laws of war and protect noncombatants from atrocities.12