MovieChat Forums > Soldier Blue (1970) Discussion > my lai

my lai

posted 13 years ago by pjwoodall1
5 replies | jump to latest

When I worked for the Navy Dept in the 70's there was a former Stars and Bars journalist Marty Gershen who had written a book on the My Lai massacre. Marty had not liked the way the NY Times and the Washington Post had reported the story. He quit his job teaching journalism and went to Vietnam to carry out his own investigation.

In Destroy or Die: The My Lai Massacre Marty tried to understand what had driven Calley and his men to carry out the massacre from the soldiers' viewpoint. According to his co-worker Art Mullins the liberal press tried to suppress the book.

If I hadn't seen the book on a friend's bookshelf I would never have read it. I was totally surprised a friend of mine had written because Marty, whom I didn't know very well, didn't discuss it. It was probably the most depressing book I have ever read.

[–] Judimex 11 years ago

Calley never did what he truly deserved though. He got away with MASS murder.

If it harms none, do what thou wilt.

[–] Pharaoh-in-de-Nile 11 years ago

So what, did the book try to justify the MURDER at My Lai? Only in the USA!

I think the "liberal press" (lol) were acually right on their treatment of the My Lai Massacre and should have been echoed by any press; Conservative, Liberal or Socialist.

"The game's afoot!"

[–] pjwoodall1 11 years ago

A very depressing story whoever is telling it, and if Marty hadn't written it I would never have read it.

And then you have Soldier Blue with Candace Bergen, Peter Strauss, John Anderson and Donald Pleasence which transplants tue story to the American West. Hard to believe director Ralph Nelson also made Lilies of The Field and worked on The Twilight Zone. The Washington Post critic passed the violence off as just some soldiers dancing around with severed limbs.

[–] ContinentalOp 11 years ago

''So what, did the book try to justify the MURDER at My Lai? Only in the USA!

I think the "liberal press" (lol) were actually right on their treatment of the My Lai Massacre and should have been echoed by any press; Conservative, Liberal or Socialist.''

The fact that many Republicans in the USA try to ignore or justify the massacre at My Lai shows all that is wrong with the good ol' USA. By all measures the place shouldn't really exist, but unfortunately it does and there is nothing we can do about it now. The USA has probably caused more sorrow in the world than any country and the ''liberal media'' (usually) just bitch them out for it and right-wing dumb-skulls actively support it. Ridiculous.

The fact that the odious 'Ballad of Lt. Calley' was a hit in the US speaks volumes.

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Haply I may remember,
And haply may forget.

[–] Royalcourtier 9 years ago

A whole company got away with mass murder, and the military tried to cover it up. The officer who was instrumental in doing so was Colin Powell.

This massacre was on a scale comparable to the worst SS atrocities, and worse than anything the German army did in WW2. The USA should be eternally ashamed.