58 years ago today
My Lai Massacre: U.S. Troops Kill Hundreds of Vietnamese Civilians
On March 16, 1968, United States Army soldiers from Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, commanded by Captain Ernest Medina, systematically murdered between 347 and 500 unarmed Vietnamese civilians — mostly women, children, and elderly men — in the hamlet of My Lai in Quảng Ngãi Province, South Vietnam. Lieutenant William Calley, who led one of the platoons involved, became the central figure in the atrocity's aftermath. The massacre was covered up by the military for over a year until journalist Seymour Hersh broke the story in November 1969. The revelation shocked the American public, dramatically eroded support for the Vietnam War, and became one of the most powerful symbols of the moral costs of the conflict. Calley was the only soldier convicted; President Nixon later intervened to move him from prison to house arrest, and his sentence was subsequently reduced.
This day, across time
- 597 BCEEventBabylon Captures Jerusalem for the First Time
- 455 CEDiedValentinian III
- 1190EventMassacre of Jews at Clifford's Tower, York
- 1750BornCaroline Herschel
- 1751BornJames Madison
- 1789BornGeorg Ohm
- 1802EventUnited States Military Academy at West Point Established
- 1872EventWorld's First FA Cup Final Won by Wanderers
- 1926EventRobert Goddard Launches World's First Liquid-Fueled Rocket
- 1926BornJerry Lewis
- 1935EventHitler Orders Germany to Rearm in Violation of Versailles
- 1967BornLauren Graham
- 1968FeaturedMy Lai Massacre: U.S. Troops Kill Hundreds of Vietnamese Civilians
- 1977DiedKamal Jumblatt
- 1988EventSaddam Hussein Orders Chemical Attack on Kurdish Town of Halabja
- 2014EventCrimea Votes to Join Russia in Controversial Referendum
Alive in 1968
OverlapSame years; not influence
Martin Luther King Jr.died this year
Abraham Heschelturned 61 this year
Deng Xiaopingturned 64 this year
Elvis Presleyturned 33 this year
Emmanuel Levinasturned 62 this year
John Lennonturned 28 this year
Kofi Annanturned 30 this year
Margaret Thatcherturned 43 this year
Mother Teresaturned 58 this year
Nelson Mandelaturned 50 this year
4 more figures were alive that year
On This Day in History
8 EventsBabylon Captures Jerusalem for the First Time
The first siege of Jerusalem by the Neo-Babylonian Empire ends with the city surrendering to King Nebuchadnezzar II. The Judean king Jehoiachin is taken captive to Babylon, along with thousands of the city's leading citizens — an event recorded in both the Bible and Babylonian chronicles.
Massacre of Jews at Clifford's Tower, York
Approximately 150 Jewish men, women, and children are massacred by a mob at Clifford's Tower in York, England. Many chose to take their own lives rather than be killed or forced to convert. The event was one of the worst antisemitic atrocities in medieval England.
United States Military Academy at West Point Established
President Thomas Jefferson signs legislation establishing the Army Corps of Engineers to found and operate the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. West Point would go on to produce many of America's most celebrated military commanders.
World's First FA Cup Final Won by Wanderers
The Wanderers F.C. win the inaugural FA Cup, the oldest football competition in the world, defeating Royal Engineers A.F.C. 1–0 at The Oval in London. The event marked the formal beginning of organized football competition in England.
Robert Goddard Launches World's First Liquid-Fueled Rocket
American engineer Robert Goddard successfully launches the world's first liquid-fueled rocket from a field in Auburn, Massachusetts. The rocket flew for only 2.5 seconds and reached an altitude of 12.5 meters, but the experiment laid the foundation for modern space travel.
Hitler Orders Germany to Rearm in Violation of Versailles
Adolf Hitler orders Germany to openly rearm in direct violation of the Treaty of Versailles, reintroducing conscription and announcing the formation of the Wehrmacht. The bold gamble met only weak protests from Britain, France, and the League of Nations.
Saddam Hussein Orders Chemical Attack on Kurdish Town of Halabja
Iraqi forces under Saddam Hussein attack the Kurdish town of Halabja with a combination of nerve agents and mustard gas, killing approximately 5,000 civilians and injuring 10,000 more. It remains the largest chemical weapons attack ever directed against a civilian population.
Crimea Votes to Join Russia in Controversial Referendum
In a referendum widely condemned by Western nations as illegal, Crimea votes to secede from Ukraine and join the Russian Federation. Russia's annexation of Crimea prompted international sanctions and marked the beginning of a major geopolitical crisis in Europe.
Born on This Day
James Madison
4th President of the United States, "Father of the Constitution"
James Madison was the primary architect of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights, earning him the title 'Father of the Constitution.' His Federalist Papers essays (co-written with Hamilton and Jay) remain essential texts of American political philosophy, and he served two terms as the 4th President during the War of 1812.
Caroline Herschel
German-English astronomer, first professional female astronomer
Caroline Herschel was a pioneering astronomer who discovered eight comets and catalogued hundreds of nebulae alongside her brother William Herschel. She became the first woman to receive a Gold Medal from the Royal Astronomical Society and the first to be paid a salary for scientific work.
Georg Ohm
German physicist, formulated Ohm's Law
Georg Ohm was a German physicist whose meticulous experiments on electrical circuits led to Ohm's Law — the foundational principle stating that the current through a conductor between two points is directly proportional to the voltage. The unit of electrical resistance, the ohm, is named in his honor.
Jerry Lewis
American comedian, filmmaker, and humanitarian
Jerry Lewis was one of the most influential comedians of the 20th century, whose slapstick genius and partnership with Dean Martin made him a superstar. He was revered in France as a serious auteur filmmaker, and his decades of work for the Muscular Dystrophy Association raised over $2.5 billion.
Lauren Graham
American actress and author
Lauren Graham is best known for her role as Lorelai Gilmore in Gilmore Girls, a character she played from 2000 to 2007 and reprised in 2016. She has also authored several books and is widely regarded as one of television's most naturally witty performers.
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Kamal Jumblatt
Lebanese Druze leader and political philosopher
Kamal Jumblatt was the founder of the Progressive Socialist Party and the dominant figure among Lebanon's Druze community, and a leading voice in the Lebanese Civil War. He was assassinated on March 16, 1977, in an ambush widely attributed to Syrian intelligence services.
Valentinian III
Western Roman Emperor
Valentinian III, Western Roman Emperor since 425, was assassinated while practicing military exercises on the Campus Martius. His murder on behalf of Senator Petronius Maximus set off a chain of events that culminated in the Vandal sack of Rome just three months later.
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