Description
The military trial of William Calley for his role in the slaughter of 500 or more Vietnamese civilians at My Lai shocked a nation already sharply divided over a controversial war. This work is a retelling of the My Lai story through the prism of the law. 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. 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. The investigations of Ron Ridenhour and Seymour Hersh revealed the full extent of the My Lai tragedy, further inflamed the anti-war movement, and brought to trial Lieutenant William Calley. Unfolding the Calley, this work shows how the system of military justice actually works. It shows how a court-martial conducted within the public eye transformed a purely legal proceeding into a political debate about the conduct of the war. The text 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.
About the Author
Michal R. Belknap, a lieutenant in the army during the Vietnam War, is professor of law at California Western School of Law. Among his other books are American Political Trials and Federal Law and Southern Order. Racial Violence and Constitutional Conflicts in the Post-Brown South.
Reviews
A wise, discerning, and powerful account of a notable trial that illuminates the larger meaning of the Vietnam War. Belknap's extraordinary analysis of the My Lai story skillfully explores the atrocities, the cover-up, and the political manipulation of the affair, and takes us beyond contemporary journalism to the complex history of what happened - and why. Stanley Kutler, Author Of The Wars Of Watergate; ""I thought I'd overdosed on books about Vietnam years ago, but this one is terrific. It somehow manages to maintain its balance without losing its power to mesmerize. Vietnam junkies and novices alike can not help but be affected by it."" John Hart Ely, Author Of War And Responsibility: Constitutional Lessons Of Vietnam And Its Aftermath
Book Information
ISBN 9780700612123
Author Michal R. Belknap
Format Paperback
Page Count 272
Imprint University Press of Kansas
Publisher University Press of Kansas
Weight(grams) 373g
About the Author
Michal R. Belknap, a lieutenant in the army during the Vietnam War, is professor of law at California Western School of Law. Among his other books are American Political Trials and Federal Law and Southern Order. Racial Violence and Constitutional Conflicts in the Post-Brown South.
Reviews
A wise, discerning, and powerful account of a notable trial that illuminates the larger meaning of the Vietnam War. Belknap's extraordinary analysis of the My Lai story skillfully explores the atrocities, the cover-up, and the political manipulation of the affair, and takes us beyond contemporary journalism to the complex history of what happened - and why. Stanley Kutler, Author Of The Wars Of Watergate; ""I thought I'd overdosed on books about Vietnam years ago, but this one is terrific. It somehow manages to maintain its balance without losing its power to mesmerize. Vietnam junkies and novices alike can not help but be affected by it."" John Hart Ely, Author Of War And Responsibility: Constitutional Lessons Of Vietnam And Its Aftermath
Book Information
ISBN 9780700612123
Author Michal R. Belknap
Format Paperback
Page Count 272
Imprint University Press of Kansas
Publisher University Press of Kansas
Weight(grams) 373g
