View unanswered posts | View active topics It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 11:29 am



Reply to topic  [ 11 posts ] 
 Mai Lai 
Author Message
Semi-pro
Semi-pro
User avatar

Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 6:13 pm
Posts: 22
While watching the video in class about the massacre at Mai Lai I was very shocked and horrified by what I saw. I had never even heard of this massacre before. It seems unreal and sickening that American soldiers could behave so animalistic and cruel. Even though all claimed to just be following orders, I still don’t see how that overruled what is morally right. It’s so sad that Americans committed an act so horrible that they were compared to the Nazis. We are suppose to be the good guys the ones with morals, but here we just showed everyone that all many of us are programmed and trained for is to follow orders and to not step out of line. For the one man who did stand up, I was very proud of but also just further saddened that only one out of all the other American soldiers was comfortable enough with his own beliefs to know when under pressure what ultimately was right and wrong. This event in time will hopefully teach us all that following orders is not always the right way, but to think independently and judge for ourselves what is the correct path.


Fri Sep 05, 2008 10:24 am
Profile
Semi-pro
Semi-pro
User avatar

Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 6:50 pm
Posts: 24
Post 
I agree with what was said about it being very sickening that soldiers went in there and killed all of those innocent people. At the same time though I think that a lot of that has to do with the way that they were trained. I think that if the soldiers would have been put in that situation without having the military training then they would act differently. I don't think that those people in the movie are bad people, I just think that they acted on impulse and on what they were being yelled at to do.


Sat Sep 06, 2008 1:04 pm
Profile
Semi-pro
Semi-pro
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2008 10:25 pm
Posts: 28
Location: Boone
Post 
I agree with Quantina. I think that the soldiers training played a big part in their decision making process that day. When a person enters the military they go through rigorous training that helps them in a sense stop thinking as individuals and become part of a team. They are trained to trust and follow their superior officer’s orders, so that when they get into tough situations they can rely on their superior officer’s orders and follow them. I think that the majority of people in society today are like those soldiers. We are all trained to be so obedient to societal rules that we all follow along blindly. We see examples of this time and time again. It is present in our businesses, schools, military, politics, and even homes. It takes a strong independent thinker to be able to examine the situation in light of what they have been taught to do, balance that with what they want to do or think is right, and then to make the decision. Hopefully, with a little more practice and persistence, we will be able to become strong independent thinkers ourselves.

_________________
Kerry Crosby Smith


Sun Sep 07, 2008 1:03 pm
Profile
Semi-pro
Semi-pro
User avatar

Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 1:24 pm
Posts: 26
Post 
I agree that training has somewhat of an effect on a person but it by no means serves as an excuse. Not all of the soldiers listened to orders. Even though I agree that it takes a strong person to stand up and do the right thing, I think its our job as teachers to be strong people.

_________________
Nikki Tester


Sun Sep 07, 2008 4:44 pm
Profile
Semi-pro
Semi-pro
User avatar

Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 3:54 pm
Posts: 28
Post 
Nikki I completely agree that teachers have to be strong people. They can't let their school system, principal, or students run over them. They need to know how to do their job and exactly what that job entails. Teachers can be very respectable individuals but they need to know how and when to voice their opinions so that everyone succeeds.

_________________
Lauren Jennings


Mon Sep 08, 2008 10:08 am
Profile
All-star
All-star

Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2008 9:02 am
Posts: 40
Post 
I just thought you all might find it interesting that there is a movie coming out next year called Pinkville. It is about Mai Lai. You can read about it on IMDB.com.

_________________
Erin Painter


Mon Sep 08, 2008 12:25 pm
Profile
All-star
All-star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2008 6:24 pm
Posts: 31
Post 
When watching that video in class, I could not help but get teary eyed and become filled with sadness, as well as anger. It absolutely blows my mind that we as a country are capable of causing such complete destruction in the lives of so many innocent people. I understand that our military has to stand up for our country and fight for us, but was this really neccessary? Before watching the video, I had never even heard of Mai Lai, which was such a sock to me. How could I have never heard of something as horrible as this? I just don't understand why it was neccessary to kill so many people. I am still just a little confused on that. It also bothered me that many of the soldiers who were involved in Mai Lai, somewhat, blamed their actions on their training and their orders. Like Nikki said, i'm sure it would be very difficult to stand up to your commanders, but it is possible, therefore being ordered to do so is not really an excuse, but more of a reason I guess. I have great respect for those that did stand up and do the right thing. Which leads me to the point that teachers have to be strong and do the right thing. They have to use their own minds and their own judgement to determine if something is right or wrong and go with it. It's very important that teachers do not just "roll over" and allow inappropriate things to happen. It is their job to teach and guide their students.

_________________
Dana Currin


Mon Sep 08, 2008 2:31 pm
Profile
All-star
All-star
User avatar

Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 12:33 pm
Posts: 35
Post 
I'm still in shock from what was shown in the movie. I can't comprehend killing innocent women, children, and elderly regardless of what the orders were. I remember one man saying that all he was told about the enemy was that it was "communism" and that the enemy had never been given a face. I just can't believe someone would think these innocent people were some how the "bad guys." I as well understand that the military training is intense, and is a process where the soldiers are broken down and rebuilt into what the military wants/needs, but at some point your own internal voice and morals has to take over. If it was truly the training causing the men to kill so blindly then there would have been no exception. I'm honestly sickened to know that our country did this...and could potentially do it again. As teachers it is our job to educate our students on compassion and understanding for other cultures, and to use past events as examples to make sure things like this never happen again. It is also our job to hold true to our convictions and to stand up for what we believe is right, regardless of what the consequences may be.

_________________
Amanda Klinger


Mon Sep 08, 2008 5:53 pm
Profile
Semi-pro
Semi-pro
User avatar

Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 12:51 pm
Posts: 22
I am kind of surprised that no one mentioned the raping of women that occurred in addition to the killings.(At least I don't think anyone did) That was the most disturbing part to me. I can try and understand the whole idea that part of the soldiers reactions to the situation were based on their training but the fact that soldiers not only killed innocent people but raped them beforehand sickens me. In addition to that the descriptions that they gave on the different ways that they killed the people struck me as completely inhumane and unnecessary considering that the people weren't even armed and were civilians. I also think that it is rather convenient that I was never taught about this in any class throughout my schooling up until this point. I am not trying to be an extremist against our government or anything but it seems wrong that an act such as what occurred at Mai Lai is not being taught in history classes at least at a high school level. How can we prevent things like this from happening again when most of the people graduating from high school and going to the military haven't even heard of it.

_________________
Emily Suzanne White


Mon Sep 08, 2008 7:58 pm
Profile
Semi-pro
Semi-pro
User avatar

Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2008 11:07 am
Posts: 23
Location: Boone, NC
Post 
Emily, I definately agree with you. Sure, the soldiers can claim to be following orders about killing people but the raping is completely out of hand. The soldiers were not told to not only kill but completely mortify the people also. Yes, Kerry, I agree the soldiers are trained to forget thier individual thinking and work as a team. So, it is in times of war that the soldiers have to put off thier self and think as they are trained. I think that something comes over the soldiers in this time and most of them really are not thinking with thier own brain. It is important to remember the learn and no mourn from this. As we become teachers and are working as a team we should also remember to think for our selfs and not forget our own morals because that is what it most important!

_________________
Hannah Johnson


Mon Sep 08, 2008 8:36 pm
Profile
Semi-pro
Semi-pro
User avatar

Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 1:24 pm
Posts: 26
Post 
Emily, I also completely agree with you. I think the raping of women shows that this issue is way more than "just following orders". Most of these men were malicious and brutal. Its sickening to see what humans are capable of as well as what they will try to justify.


Vietnam in general is a "touchy" subject that was avoided throughout most of my classes in public school. It seems to me that many important issues in our history are left out in the name of not wanting anyone to feel uncomfortable.

_________________
Nikki Tester


Tue Sep 09, 2008 8:30 am
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Reply to topic   [ 11 posts ] 

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
Designed by ST Software for PTF.