The military trial of William Calley for his role in the slaughter
of five hundred or more Vietnamese civilians at My Lai shocked a
nation already sharply divided over a controversial war. In this
superb retelling of the My Lai story through the prism of the law,
Michal Belknap provides new perspectives and keen insights into
core issues about the war that still divide Americans today.
One of the most highly publicized trials of its day, the Calley
case emerged at a time when protests against the war were growing
larger, louder, and more intense. Well aware of this, the Nixon
administration sought to downplay the My Lai incident, which
military officers in Vietnam had tried to cover up in order to
protect their own careers and reputations. It might never have come
to light had it not been for the efforts of Vietnam veteran Ron
Ridenhour and journalist Seymour Hersh. Their investigations
revealed the full extent of the My Lai tragedy, further inflamed
the antiwar movement, and brought to trial Lieutenant William
Calley.
Unfolding the Calley case step by step, Belknap shows how our
system of military justice actually works. His dramatic reenactment
takes readers through every stage of the trial, from pre-trial
investigations to actual courtroom exchanges among prosecutors,
defenders, witnesses, and judges. In the process, he reveals how a
court-martial conducted within the public eye transformed a purely
legal proceeding into a political debate about the conduct of the
war. Calley's trial clearly demonstrated both how deeply the
Vietnam War had divided our nation and how difficult it was for any
court to deliver justice under such intense media coverage.
Scrupulously fair to all parties involved, Belknap portrays
Calley as both criminal and victim-guilty of the crimes of which he
stood accused, but also an unintended scapegoat of the American
military machine. His court-martial, for hawks and doves alike,
epitomized all that was wrong with our involvement in Vietnam.
By reopening the Calley case, Belknap helps a new generation of
readers better understand why the Vietnam War was so controversial
and damaging to national unity. His book, however, also provides
insights that apply well beyond events of a particular war,
suggesting that the grim lessons of My Lai will continue to shadow
the conduct of America's present and future wars.
General
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