ORCID ID
0009-0004-1418-6421
Date of Award
5-2026
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.A.
Degree Program
History
Department
History
Major Professor
John D. Fitzmorris
Second Advisor
Kathryn Dungy
Third Advisor
Allan Millett
Abstract
The My Lai Massacre of March 16, 1969, remains one of the most ruthless war crimes committed and concealed by the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Of the thirteen officers charged, only one was convicted. Focused on evading accountability rather than confronting the moral and legal consequences of their wartime atrocities, the U.S. Army failed to serve justice. This thesis contextualizes the aftermath of the My Lai Massacre. Through an analysis of the Peers Report, court documents, government materials, and scholarly debates, this project finds that responsibility was indeed passed up the chain of command, justice was not served, and a soldier was scapegoated. Engaging in historical discourse about My Lai is crucial because it demands that the U.S. government formally acknowledge its wrongdoing and learn from its past, rather than conceal it in shame.
Recommended Citation
Stratton, Hannah, "Escaping Trial: The Justice That Never Came at My Lai: The My Lai Massacre and Lack of Accountability: 1968-1974" (2026). University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations. 3383.
https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/3383
Rights
The University of New Orleans and its agents retain the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible this dissertation or thesis in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. The author retains all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis or dissertation.