Honors Blog: The Vietnam War on Trial

Honors Blog: The Vietnam War on Trial: The My Lai Massacre and the Court Martial of Lieutenant Calley by author Michal R. Belknap

by Osamah Elhams

This book tells the story of the military trial of Lieutenant William Calley charged with the deaths of many Vietnamese civilians during the My Lai Massacre. In the early 1970's, protests in Washington against the Vietnam War were getting louder and louder. It made the Vietnam War even more controversial. This particular incident added more pressure on the Nixon Administration to end the war. On March 16^th, 1968, Lieutenant Calley and a group of men under his command attacked unarmed civilians in a small Vietnamese village called My Lai. An investigation into the incident was begun when a helicopter pilot revealed the truth about the massacre. The helicopter crew tried to save as many people as they could but Calley’s group ended up killing as many as 500 people. He was convicted by the military court of the murder of twenty-two Vietnamese civilians who were mostly old men, women, children. Lieutenant Calley defended his actions by saying that he was just following orders from his commanding officers. It was disclosed that Calley’s superior officers tried to cover-up the details of the massacre to save their own careers and reputations. During the trial, Lieutenant Calley was considered a victim by some but a murderer of innocent civilians by others. Lieutenant Calley was ultimately convicted but only ended up doing about three years confined to home detention. He only did a few months in military jail. President Nixon

later gave him a limited Presidential pardon.

Honors novel blog #3

It Seemed Like Nothing Happened: The tragedy and promise of America in the 1970s

by Peter N.Carroll

It Seemed Like Nothing Happened: The tragedy and promise of America in the 1970s by Peter N.Carroll is about the state of America in the 1970s. It mostly talks about President Nixon and how his intentions of keeping an eye on the democratic committee effected America and his presidency. Specifically his connections with the Vietnam war too. Along with other depressing facts at that time like the Kent State shooting. Protester's who we're against the Vietnam war continued walking the streets that day. They we're hinder by the police. After the collision ended four Vietnam protesters died and others were injured. This book reveals the truth about what happened in the 1960 and 1970s and why their even was a anti-war protest in the first place. It talks about the co-conspirators in the Vietnam war who did things that they have probably regretted. It also explains what the CIA's intention were and how they kept the tragic event of the My Lai Massacre was exposes resulting in widespread public opposition against the Vietnam war . This tragic event involved the kill of innocent Vietnamese children, women and families of a small village.

Honor's Blog #2

The Secret Man

By: Bob Woodward

The book, The Secret Man, by Bob Woodward deals with the identity of a secret informant. He was the man responsible for leaking vital information regarding the Watergate scandal to Washington Post reporter, Bob Woodward would signal "Deep Throat" when he wanted a meeting with him by leaving a potted plant with a red flag on his balcony. When "Deep Throat" agreed to meet with Woodward, he would send him a sign by leaving marks on Woodward's copy of the New York Times. THey would meet at an underground parking lot late night. The managing editor, Howard Simon, of the Washington Post gave him the name "Deep Throat" because he was considered anonymous source whose identity could not be revealed. The mysterious character was said to have ties to the FBI. If it hadn't been for "Deep Throat" , Woodward and Bernstein would have never exposed the true facts about the cover-up. "Deep Throat's" identity was kept secret for thirty years. It wasn't until 2005 that "Deep Throat" came clean about identity. "Deep Throat" revealed himself to be the one time Acting Director of the FBI, Mark Felt. He was in charge of the FBI when J. Edgar Hoover died. Instead of giving him the job, Nixon passed him over and hired an ex-Naval Lawyer with no law enforcement experience. Mike Felt was furious and he might have sought to avenge himself by helping Woodward and Bernstein bring down the Nixon Administration.

Honors novel blog #1

June 17th 1972, two investigators of the Washington port we're assigned to report a break in at the water gate complex in Washington D.C. As the reporters, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, dig deeper during the investigation a mystery unfolds. Woodward used unknown sources to find out who was involved in the break at the Democratic National Committee headquarters. Bob Woodward arranged secret meetings late at night with a man nicknamed 'Deep-throat' inside a parking structure. Deep throat is an unknown source who gave out information about who was responsible for handing out the pay checks to the burglars. In the story, I founded out that all of the captured buglers we're Cuban ex-CIA operatives. They we're charged in federal court. There we're five who broken that night.

As part of their investigation, Bernstein and Woodward, interview many witnesses . Many people that they questioned we're afraid to talk. They often used charm and ingenuity to get important information about the break in. The two reporters try and uncover a connection between the water gate break in and the committee to re-elect Richard Nixon. Their investigation eventually implicates several high ranking cabinet members of the Nixon administration. What they perceive to be an easy investigation turns out to be very complicated. John Mitchel, the director of the committee Richard Nixon, was convicted. He was at one time the attorney general for President. Two top Nixon aids, John Ehrlichman and HR haldeman we're convicted also. Woodward and Bernstein uncovered a special slush fund to pay the water gate buglers. The break-in was orchestrated by Gordan Liddy and Howard Hunt.