WAR CRIMES IN VIETNAM

WHAT IS A WAR CRIME?

• Just like any other crime
• Committed during wartime
• Committed by soldiers and/or officers
• Officers are to take responsibility

INTERNATIONAL LAW

• Treaties
• Conferences
• Agreements

UNRESTRICTED BOMBARDMENTS

• Over just 6 years
• ~150,000 killed
• ~350,000 wounded/maimed
• These are only rough estimates
• These are of civilians

CHEMICAL WARFARE

• The use of chemical warfare had been banned
• Agent orange was used
• U.S. Tried to used justification

ATTACKING HOSPITALS

• Illegal according to the Army Field Manual
• Bombed and Shelled
• N. Vietnamese army hospitals in S. Vietnam

PINKVILLE

• The most repeatedly bombed area
• No military bases in the area
• Only villages and farmland
• Housed many hamlets
• Most notably the My Lai hamlets

FREE FIRE ZONES

• Self explanatory
• Areas for free firing of any weapon
• No higher ranking approval needed
• Anything could be fired upon

MY LAI MASSACRE

• Hamlets 1, 2, 3, & 4 were suspected
• Supposedly villagers were to be at the market
• Anyone remaining were to be considered V.C.
• Most of the people were composed of women & children
• 387-504 killed

MY LAI CONSEQUENCES?

• Officers were charged with suppressing info
• Lt. Calley was convicted, but later let off by Nixon

TO ANSWER THE QUESTION

• Yes the United States' actions led to crimes
• The war laws were clearly stated
• Officers were aware
• Each crime was either sloppily justified or ignored

END NOTES

• Gibson, "The Perfect War:..."
• Sheehan, "Should We Have War Crime Trials"
• My Lai
• In-class Lectures