City Info: Mỹ Lai

Two hours south of Da Nang, off Highway One, sits the city of Quang Ngai. Tucked into the town is the land that used to be known as My Lai Village. No longer a tiny hamlet, it is the site of a museum and memorial for the lives lost in the tragedy known as the My Lai Massacre.

On March 16, 1968 American soldiers were sent on a search-and-destroy mission into the quiet village. Instead of being met by Viet Cong soldiers as expected, My Lai was occupied predominately by children, women and family elders. Led by Lieutenant William Calley, the troops descended from helicopters with ferocity. Over the next four hours, they brutally raped women, tortured young children and killed 504 people.

Today, when you enter the museum grounds, you are greeted by an enormous statue of a defiant woman, holding her dying (dead?) child with several others in various stages of injury surrounding her. While not everyone may agree on its artistic merits, it serves its purpose in portraying Vietnamese determination. Inside the museum, a long list of everyone who died in My Lai is etched into a large, black stone wall. It includes each victim's name, sex and age. The numerous children listed as being one year old, include all children less than 24 months old.

The exhibits in the museum include graphic photos taken by Army photographers during the massacre. They are disturbing, but serve as a poignant reminder to the cruelty of war. With children, it's up to your discretion whether they see them or not. I shaded my 9-year-old daughter's eyes for as much as I could, but we all spent some time talking about them (why they were taken, who these people were, the cruelty that develops in war, etc.).

You will also find remnants of people's lives exhibited, included cooking utensils, books and photos. There are several casings on display, as well, startling in their immense size. There's also a recreation of the village, a basic light-up version of the bombings, fires and destruction that occurred in the area.

Outside the museum, the area is lush and beautiful. Rice fields surround the museum and large coconut trees give an aura of tropical paradise. The juxtaposition makes the destruction and the beauty more intense. Throughout the museum grounds there are grave sites, listing names (as well as sex and age) of victims buried there. Several home sites have been reconstructed showing the desecration of the area, including models of the animals that were killed and the homes that were burnt down. There are several small statues built by survivors of the massacre that could upset small children unable to comprehend their meaning.

The My Lai Massacre site can be emotionally taxing, especially for Americans. When I visited, I couldn't shake the guilt of being tied, even if it is just by nationality, to the men who did this. Reading more about that morning and the ensuing trials and pardons, just intensified the feelings. So be prepared.

As for bringing children along, I brought mine and it's one of the more powerful memories for them both. It's a starting point for discussion of wars (current and past), psychological issues and the tragedies of life; a particularly important discussion for teenagers and young adults. For young children, apart from the photos inside the museum, most of it will be beyond their understanding and they'll simply enjoy the beauty of the grounds.

Outside resources:

• Wikipedia: My Lai Massacre
• Our photos from My Lai
• Time magazine article