What happened to Vietnamese civilians who were gathered in an irrigation ditch at My Lai?

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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.

At approximately 9:00 am on March 16, 1968, during the My Lai Massacre, Lieutenant William Calley ordered the execution of as many as 150 Vietnamese civilians who had been herded into an irrigation ditch. These individuals, consisting of women, children, and elderly men, were shot at close range by members of the U.S. Army's Charlie Company.1

This act was part of a broader series of atrocities committed that day, during which as many as 500 civilians were killed. The massacre, which was initially covered up by military officials, eventually became a defining and deeply controversial event of the Vietnam War, sparking international outrage and contributing to significant public disillusionment in the United States.12