How many unarmed Vietnamese villagers were killed in the My Lai Massacre?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

A group of frightened Vietnamese women and children stand close together outdoors during the My Lai Massacre in the Vietnam War. — My Lai Massacre Vietnamese citizens photographed during the My Lai Massacre, March 16, 1968.

During the My Lai Massacre on March 16, 1968, as many as 500 unarmed Vietnamese villagers were killed by U.S. soldiers.12

While the official after-action report initially attempted to characterize the operation as a success and claimed only 20 civilians had been accidentally killed, subsequent investigations and eyewitness accounts revealed the true scale of the atrocity. The massacre involved the indiscriminate killing of women, children, and elderly men, and it remains one of the most significant war crimes associated with the Vietnam War. Today, the site of the tragedy, known as the Son My Vestige Area, includes a memorial wall that lists the names of hundreds of victims.312