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When did the My Lai Massacre take place?

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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.

The My Lai Massacre took place on March 16, 1968, during the Vietnam War.12

The violence began shortly before 7:30 am when the village was shelled by U.S. artillery, followed by the insertion of Charlie Company’s 1st Platoon. Over the course of the morning, soldiers killed hundreds of unarmed civilians, including women, children, and the elderly. By 11:00 am, as many as 500 people had been killed. This atrocity represents a profound violation of the ethical principles that must govern military conduct, as the intentional targeting of noncombatants is a fundamental war crime.21