Major Trigger Warning on the topic of War, Rape, Violence. The Mỹ Lai massacre was the mass murder of unarmed South Vietnamese civilians by United States troops in Sơn Tịnh District, South Vietnam, on 16 March 1968 during the Vietnam War. 54 years ago today, American soldiers terrorized a village. 💔

FullTimeOrNoTime · 2022-03-16T19:27:58+00:00

Honestly, I think these concepts are why so many men in the military take issue with the women in their divisions, battalions, etc., and why there was so much push back about women in combat roles. It isn't that we can't do the job. In fact, most women in the military are MORE capable on many levels than the average man. They have to be in order to receive even average marks on performance review.

Men are against women being present because there will be someone to recognize and report their actions, not because they genuinely fear a woman will not be able to competently fill their role in the team. They aren't afraid their life or limbs will be lost because she isn't strong enough to defend them, but instead fear being seen for who and what they are. They fear losing both their spoils in the moment and their false reputation as a good person and hero amongst the civilians who rarely know better.

makeawomancum · 2022-03-16T18:46:08+00:00

This was an attack on humanity that took place during my grandparents and parents’ lifetime/adolescence so it really is not that long ago. I rarely see this injustice in history talked about. 💔 I never understand why I’ve heard people justify depraved males raping (mostly) women in wartime as a fucking casualty. It makes me more upset knowing justice was never truly served.

“It is a myth that rape is an inevitable part of conflict ... There is nothing inevitable about it. It is a weapon of war aimed at civilians. It has nothing to do with sex - everything to do with power. It is done to torture and humiliate innocent people and often very young children.”

Another horrible thing I’ve heard was about American scrotes who weren’t raping women still would impregnate Vietnamese women often only to be deadbeat dads once the War was over. I know an aunty who grew up in Vietnam, not realizing she was half white because her father was never in her life… To impregnate a woman in a war torn country during the most vulnerable point in her life only to abandon her is sickening.

I wonder if some of those deadbeat dads targeted Vietnamese women for that reason; knowing they had the excuse of just going back to America if they survived, without taking care of the responsibilities that normally come with impregnating an American woman at home. I also think racists fetishize foreign women, making it easier for them to dehumanize us - therefore feeling less guilty when they assault us.

A man’s true set of values are revealed when they believe they have the opportunity to act without consequence. Even if these soldiers were “following orders”, it’s horrifying some of them thought might as well violate her before she dies.

adeecomeforth · 2022-03-16T22:09:53+00:00

If anyone wants to know more about this, please check out the channel "Disturban History" on YouTube and of course, trigger warnings.

From what I've read, only 3 servicemen tried to halt the massacre and rapes and tried to hide victims and they were shunned and were even considered traitors until 30 years later.

Such an awful, disturbing thing to do to innocent women and children.

LevellingUpTime · 2022-03-17T07:07:25+00:00

Absolutely disgusting that this happens during every war. It's torture of women and it's seen as a bonding experience for men.

I was reading about the rape of German women after WW2, and it's believed that around two MILLION women and girls from "ages 8 to 80" were raped and tortured in eight months from January to August 1945. They hunted women in convents and raped nuns, they snatched girls off the street in broad daylight. Russian soldiers boasted that no German child was ever born again that didn't have Russian DNA.

I feel so sick knowing this occurs over and over to us and our ancestors. That when ordered to destroy a village or invade a town, they don't hesitate to start raping as a little bonus to themselves on the side.

And then some men think we have it easier because we're not killed right away, we're only killed when they're finished with us. It won't stop until men see us as actual humans and not human lookalikes that somehow produce real (male) humans for them

WafflesTheDuck · 2022-03-16T20:24:07+00:00

Susan is the author of Against Our Will. I've linked to it here before but I'm sure others have read it.

This is what permanently emancipated me from men. That and Woe to the Women.

Here is a link to read it free but you might have to reborrow it to continue if you time out.

I think this should be up there with The Gift of Fear in terms of suggested reading.

https://archive.org/details/againstourwillme00brow

BiscuitWoof · 2022-03-16T23:54:51+00:00

I read about the Rape of Nanking when I was younger and I was traumatised, I couldn’t believe the inhumane activities men were capable of. And it was always men. So when men say not all men, know that it is all men when they have the opportunity to get away with it

Bonds_Girl · 2022-03-16T20:25:32+00:00

that women are peripheral to the world that counts

Let that sink in. And know that this idea permeates every action a LVM will take; in war, in peace, anytime.

KindredMaximus · 2022-03-17T07:33:11+00:00

Even when men go to countries to help - they rape. All the rapes by men in the UN in Haiti, means there are now so many single struggling mothers there and these men were there to HELP. Instead they raped and impregnated young teenagers. Why even are men? So worthless.

sewingmachinesavior · 2022-03-17T03:31:14+00:00

“Not all men”…but most of them. This is why we vet.

dinarvand88 · 2022-03-17T04:30:53+00:00

Thank you for giving me a lot to think about.

Junior-Lion7893 · 2022-03-17T14:34:47+00:00

The Vietnam War was also known as the living room war as civilians watched the atrocities through broadcast television. Due to television it lead to people condemning the war because they witnessed the atrocities that happened. For once, television provided people with easy access to information about the war as oppose how things were done with WW1 and WW2. Soldiers who came back from the Vietnam War did not receive a “heroes welcome” like soldiers from previous wars. Instead soldiers were spat on upon their return from the war in America by anti-war protestors.

I hope the soldiers that partook in the My Lai Massacre were spat upon. This is what they deserve.

2340000 · 2022-03-17T00:29:51+00:00

You are coming in clutch with these posts! Thanks for the educational content. As sad as it is, I love to see it. It helps so much to have context😊

geminiascendant · 2022-03-17T12:00:07+00:00

This also happened during my grandparents’ and parents’ time, and unfortunately just before they managed to escape as well. Felt highly emotional reading this but thank you for sharing what is a tragic and horrific yet crucial part of history to remember. There’s always one narrative presented on each side in war and very rarely are the criminal offences pertaining to sexual violence portrayed. Absolutely heartbreaking but again, poignant.

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