American Scandal — The Massacre at My Lai | Justice on Trial | Episode 4

Wondery | Host: Lindsay Graham | Release Date: September 2, 2025

Overview of the Episode

This episode of American Scandal dives into the aftermath of the My Lai massacre—the investigations, the legal proceedings, and the intense political fallout that followed. Host Lindsay Graham examines how the truth about the massacre emerged, the military and government response, who was held accountable (and who wasn’t), and how the process of justice—and public opinion—was shaped and shaken by one of America’s darkest chapters.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. White House Reaction & Political Calculations

• Nixon's Concern about Political Fallout
  • Nixon is portrayed formulating methods to neutralize the scandal, viewing it as a threat to his Vietnam policy and presidency ([00:00–03:38]).
  • “Now all the talk about this massacre business is going to destroy my Vietnam policy. Just as we're getting traction, just as I'm about to turn the damn tide. We've got to bury this story, get it out of the papers.” — Richard Nixon (00:45)
  • Orders a covert smear campaign against whistleblowers and journalists (e.g., Seymour Hersh, Ron Ridenhour).
  • Nixon’s core frustration: the press cares about scandal, not the “truth,” making this a political crisis.

2. Military Investigation: The Peers Inquiry

• Launch of Inquiry
  • Public outcry forces the Army to act, appointing General William R. Peers to lead a wide-ranging investigation ([05:04–09:20]).
  • Key focus: establishing facts, identifying those responsible—not just in My Lai, but in other villages as well.
• Testimony and Findings
  • William Calley, central figure in the massacre, stonewalls questions at the inquiry ([06:30–07:15]).
  • Helicopter pilot Hugh Thompson and other witnesses provide harrowing, detailed accounts.
  • The investigation uncovers systemic atrocities, not just the acts of a few individuals.
  • “What happened in My Lai was clearly part of a far larger crime.” — Narration (09:19)

3. Army's Handling of Evidence and Public Disclosure

• Censorship and Legal Considerations
  • Legal reviews restrict public access, declassifying only a sanitized 50 out of 250+ pages of Peers’ report.
  • "Officially, the army cites the need to protect the legal rights of the accused. But critics are quick to ask whether that's really the case, or whether it's more about the army trying to shield itself from deeper embarrassment." (12:15)

4. Press Conference and Fallout

• General Peers’ Historic Press Conference ([14:00–16:51])
  • Announces charges against 14 Army officers, including generals and senior officers.
  • Faces tough questions from the press about command responsibility and the scope of the atrocities:
    • Q: “Would you say there was a cover-up?”
    • A (Peers): “…there was testimony and evidence to indicate that certain individuals…by their actions, suppressed information from the incident from being passed up the chain of command.” (15:46)
• Significance: The Army publicly breaks with tradition to hold senior ranks accountable—at least in theory.

5. White House Tactics: Silence vs. Escalation

• Spring 1970: Nixon and Kissinger Debate
  • Kissinger counsels silence over aggressive counterattack ([18:16–21:10]).
  • “If we ignore it, we might just contain it.” — Henry Kissinger (20:03)
  • Nixon reluctantly agrees, worried the scandal could ruin his re-election.

6. The Calley Court Martial and the Quest for Justice

• The Calley Trial Begins
  • Starts November 17, 1970 at Fort Benning, Georgia ([21:11–29:00])
  • Dramatic testimony from Paul Meadlo, pressured into testifying:
    • Meadlo describes shooting civilians under Calley’s orders; details how Captain Medina observed the aftermath but did not intervene.
    • “He stopped only when his rifle jammed.” — Narration about Meadlo’s testimony (24:33)
  • Defense insists Calley is a scapegoat—a product of chaos and command structure failings.
• Jury Deliberates
  • Other officers previously acquitted or had charges dropped, making Calley’s conviction feel far from certain.

7. Verdict, Public Outrage, and Political Reversal

• Calley Convicted ([30:05–33:57])
  • March 29, 1971: Calley found guilty of premeditated murder of at least 22 civilians, sentenced to life at hard labor.
  • Immediate national uproar—75% of Americans polled object to the verdict.
  • Birth of the “Free Calley” movement, protests, and thousands of letters to Nixon.
  • Nixon, feeling political heat, orders Calley removed from prison and placed under house arrest:
    • “I’ll pardon him in the end, but if anyone asks, this is just temporary, pending legal review.” — Nixon (32:24)
• Final Outcomes for Others
  • Peers inquiry led to 26 charges, but almost all were dropped; Calley is the only conviction.
  • His sentence is reduced several times; he is paroled in 1974.

8. Aftermath: Vietnam Ends, Memory and Legacy

• Broader Impact

  • Nixon wins re-election in 1972; US troops leave Vietnam in 1973; Saigon falls in 1975.
  • Returning veterans experience stigma, not heroism; even those like Hugh Thompson, who intervened at My Lai, are shunned or threatened.
  • Decades later, Thompson finally receives the Soldier’s Medal for moral courage ([38:30])

• Scope of Atrocity

  • Pentagon’s secret investigation would later catalog over 300 war crimes by US troops in Vietnam.

• The Bitter Lesson

  • “It wasn’t…a story of a few men losing control, but the story of what can happen when a conflict devalues human life so thoroughly that murder becomes policy and silence becomes strategy.” — Lindsay Graham (39:55)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Nixon’s Cynicism on Moral vs. Political Crisis:

  • “It's not a moral crisis, it's a political one. And we're getting boxed in by the press…” (02:08)

• General Peers on the Failure of Command:

  • “It does make a difference whether it's a general. But I think the same criterion must be in effect throughout our entire officer corps. We all have obligations as officers, and as a consequence, we must have extremely high standards…” (15:15)

• Press Conference Exchange—Scope of the Atrocities:

  • Reporter: “So why call it the My Lai massacre? Doesn't that understate what really happened?”
  • Peers: “…My Lai has become shorthand for what occurred. But our investigation makes it clear this was not just one village. It was a breakdown in command across an entire region…” (16:12)

• Calley’s Fate as a Political Symbol:

  • “Calley's face flashes across newspapers...not as a convicted war criminal, but as a symbol of sacrifice and betrayal. Polls show that more than 75% of Americans disagree with the jury's verdict.” (30:14)

• Veteran John Kerry Speaks Out:

  • “[Kerry] argues that blame should not be laid at the feet of a single lieutenant, but with the system and the policymakers that put him in that position.” (31:41)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• White House Response / Nixon’s Anger: 00:00–03:38
• Peers Inquiry Launch / Calley Testimony: 05:04–09:20
• Televised Testimonies / Media Breaks Story: 09:21–12:15
• Peers Report Declassified: 12:16–14:00
• Historic Press Conference: 14:01–16:51
• Nixon & Kissinger's White House Debate: 18:16–21:10
• Lt. Calley Court Martial / Testimonies: 21:11–29:00
• Verdict and National Outcry: 30:05–33:57
• Nixon’s Decision to Intervene: 33:57–36:00
• Final Outcomes / Veteran Stigma / Hugh Thompson Honored: 36:00–39:00
• Host’s Final Reflection on Legacy: 39:55

Tone and Style

• Narrative Style:
  • Lindsay Graham delivers a thoughtful, investigative narration, blending dramatized scenes and historical analysis to create an engaging, emotionally resonant retelling.
• Emotional Register:
  • The episode maintains a somber, urgent tone, underscoring the moral gravity and political chaos surrounding the events and their legacy.

Summary Takeaway

This episode reveals how the search for justice after My Lai was as convoluted and fraught as the scandal itself. It was shaped by whistleblowers, courageous witnesses, stonewalling officials, and a public deeply divided about the nature of responsibility in war. In the end, true systemic accountability was elusive: only Lt. Calley served time, while higher-ups evaded justice, and it took decades before even the few who did the right thing were recognized.

“It wasn’t…a story of a few men losing control, but the story of what can happen when a conflict devalues human life so thoroughly that murder becomes policy and silence becomes strategy.” — Lindsay Graham (39:55)

For further exploration:

• Vietnam: 1968 and the Descent into Darkness by Howard Jones
• Coverup by Seymour Hersh
• The Forgotten Hero of My Lai: The Hugh Thompson Story by Trent Andrews