And only one was tried. His sentence was changed from life in prison to 3 years house arrest by Nixon. How the fuck is that possible? I would understand they would try to sweep this under the table, but it was a well known incident, such a thing that they should lock up everyone involved and throw away the keys just to show No, we do not do such things, THEY DO.
Initially, three U.S. servicemen who had tried to halt the massacre and rescue hiding civilians were shunned, and even denounced as traitors by several U.S. congressmen, including Mendel Rivers (D–SC), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee.
What’s in Wikipedia doesn’t match my memory; what I thought had happened was that Thompson did more than “try to halt.” He landed his helicopter between US troops and a group of obviously harmless villagers and told his men to shoot the Americans if they tried to continue murdering the villagers.
He and the other soldiers who stopped the massacre and reported what had happened were viewed by most Americans as traitors at the time, and for quite a while after.
and told his men to shoot the Americans if they tried to continue murdering the villagers.
I can’t remember where I read it… but apparently a group of British soldiers did the same thing during the Korean War when they witnessed US personnel guarding Korean concentration camp inmates that were about to be “liquidated” by ROK troops.
Also reminder that there were those that actively tried stopping it, and iirc, a helo pilot ordering the door gunner to shoot his own troops of they would fire upon civilians.
He was, or course, court martialled for this. Not sure how it initially ended, it’s been a while since I read about it.
reminder that the people who did this are still alive, have opinions and vote.
And only one was tried. His sentence was changed from life in prison to 3 years house arrest by Nixon. How the fuck is that possible? I would understand they would try to sweep this under the table, but it was a well known incident, such a thing that they should lock up everyone involved and throw away the keys just to show No, we do not do such things, THEY DO.
Not only that, but:
What’s in Wikipedia doesn’t match my memory; what I thought had happened was that Thompson did more than “try to halt.” He landed his helicopter between US troops and a group of obviously harmless villagers and told his men to shoot the Americans if they tried to continue murdering the villagers.
He and the other soldiers who stopped the massacre and reported what had happened were viewed by most Americans as traitors at the time, and for quite a while after.
I can’t remember where I read it… but apparently a group of British soldiers did the same thing during the Korean War when they witnessed US personnel guarding Korean concentration camp inmates that were about to be “liquidated” by ROK troops.
I need to find that again.
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Colonialist warfare is just a laundry list of war crimes perpetrated against an “other” - and you can’t commit war crimes without war criminals.
Also reminder that there were those that actively tried stopping it, and iirc, a helo pilot ordering the door gunner to shoot his own troops of they would fire upon civilians.
He was, or course, court martialled for this. Not sure how it initially ended, it’s been a while since I read about it.