Frontline Season 7 Episode 15 Remember My Lai

In season 7 episode 15 of Frontline, titled "Remember My Lai," the show delves into one of the most shameful events in American military history - the massacre of hundreds of Vietnamese civilians in 1968 by US Army soldiers in the village of My Lai. The episode explores the personal stories and experiences of the soldiers involved in the massacre, and the long-lasting impact it had on their lives.

The episode begins with a brief background of the Vietnam War and the political climate at the time, leading up to the My Lai massacre. Using archival footage and interviews with soldiers who were there, the show paints a vivid picture of the chaos and confusion that surrounded the operation.

The heart of the episode, however, is the stories of the soldiers themselves. Through first-hand accounts and interviews with family members, Frontline paints a nuanced and complex portrait of these men. We hear from those who participated in the massacre, as well as those who refused to follow orders and risked their own lives to save civilians.

One of the most striking elements of "Remember My Lai" is how open and honest the soldiers are about their experiences. Many of them express deep regret and remorse for what happened, and describe the profound psychological toll it took on them over the years. We hear stories of soldiers struggling with PTSD, substance abuse, and other issues, and see how the My Lai massacre became a defining moment in their lives.

The episode also explores the aftermath of the My Lai massacre - from the military's attempts to cover up the incident, to the eventual exposure of the truth and the trials of those involved. We see how the massacre shattered the public's trust in the military, and how it continues to haunt both the soldiers who were there and the Vietnamese survivors who lost loved ones.

Overall, "Remember My Lai" is a powerful and moving episode of Frontline that sheds new light on a dark moment in American history. By giving voice to the soldiers and survivors of My Lai, the show humanizes a tragedy that is too often relegated to the realm of statistics and headlines. It is a sobering reminder of the costs of war, and a call to remember those whose lives were forever changed by this terrible event.