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Plot Summary
In an exploration of the morality of actions taken in the name of war, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE directs its lens to the 1968 My Lai massacre and asks what drove a company of American soldiers to commit the worst atrocity in American military history? Were they "just following orders" or, did they crumble under the pressure of a vicious war in which the line between enemy soldier and civilian had been intentionally blurred?
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Customer Reviews
War may be Hell, but it's never an excuse for immorality.
My Lai is a thoughtful, intriguing, and humbling account of the massacre that took place in My Lai by the U.S. military. The documentary features testimony, archived footage, and stunning photography from the day in My Lai where the U.S. military slaughtered 500 vietnamese civilians.
Personally, I'm surprised this film has not received more recognition on iTunes as it's one of the more well-done documentaries about the horrors of war. Between the heart-wrenching testimonies from the veterans involved to the disgusting descriptions of the events of that day, My Lai is a movie that will engage a wide array of viewers.
On a side note, the film repeatedly seems to bring up the question, "Are soldiers to carry out orders that are unjust?" My answer to that is simply: no. War may be Hell and it may cause good men to stumble, but it can never be an excuse for the immorality of one's actions. While war, in general, may be immoral...I think one will quickly notice there is a difference between shooting at soldiers with guns and shooting at civilians with babies.
Gripping documentary.
The film really puts you in the shoes of the soldiers in the field. Moral choices can really become clouded by the fog of war and by the soldier's credo (always follow orders). My anger burns towards the two men in charge who should have said "no," but I do feel empathy for the grunts who carried out orders. No question this is a dark and sad chapter in American history (507 innocent civilians slaughtered).
War...
What do you expect, they were trained to do a job as soldiers. War is confusing and devastating. My family fought in Vietnam as well in Korea and WWII. God Bless America.
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