On this day in 1968, 56 years ago, the My Lai Massacre took place during the Vietnam War, up to 500 Vietnamese men women and children were killed. Captain Ernest Medina instructed his soldiers a day before:

"There are no innocent civilians in this area".

The massacre was only ended when a US helicopter crew threatened to shoot any US soldier that did not stop killing, the helicopter crew were later denounced as traitors by congress when they returned to the US.