The Hà My Massacre was a
massacre
A massacre is an event of killing people who are not engaged in hostilities or are defenseless. It is generally used to describe a targeted killing of civilians Glossary of French words and expressions in English#En masse, en masse by an armed ...
purportedly conducted by the
South Korean Marines on 25 February 1968 of unarmed civilians in Hà My village, Điện Dương commune,
Điện Bàn District,
Quảng Nam Province in
South Vietnam
South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam (RVN; , VNCH), was a country in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975. It first garnered Diplomatic recognition, international recognition in 1949 as the State of Vietnam within the ...
.
Description
Prior to the massacre, Korean forces had visited the village before but were not aggressive or hostile.
The massacre was purportedly conducted by the
2nd Marine Division. One survivor's testimony was that Korean forces had entered the village, ordered her family into an underground shelter and threw grenades, killing and wounding members of her family, and even targeted infants.
[
According to South Korean anthropologist Heonik Kwon, it was reportedly conducted in retaliation for ]Vietcong
The Viet Cong (VC) was an epithet and umbrella term to refer to the Communism, communist-driven armed movement and united front organization in South Vietnam. It was formally organized as and led by the National Liberation Front of South Vi ...
(VC) mortar fire on a ROK Marine Artillery Battery firebase that killed a South Korean Marine artillery '' Daewi'' (Captain), a '' Sangsa'' (First Sergeant) and four conscripts. The attack was preceded by two hours of shelling by 155 mm artillery, during which two helicopters were circling overhead the village and machine-gunning those that tried to escape. Later helicopters and trucks transported almost 200 Marines to the village who killed many more civilians at close quarters.[ The victims were 135 women, children and elders from the thirty households.][ Kwon states that this assault against the corpses and graves is remembered as the most inhumane aspect of the incident.][
The region surrounding the village became a hotbed for VC activity, remaining resistant to Korean forces in the region until they were relegated to guarding bases later that year and until their departure in 1973.][ The commune would later earn the designation as a Hero District of the People's Armed Forces of the PAVN.
In December 2000, a memorial for the 135 victims was founded in Hà My village.][
]
See also
* War Remnants Museum
* Military history of South Korea during the Vietnam War
* People's Tribunal on War Crimes by South Korean Troops during the Vietnam War
References
External links
Peaceful rest for a victim of massacre in Vietnam
Massacres in the Vietnam War
Massacres in 1968
1968 in South Vietnam
History of Quảng Nam province
Massacres committed by South Korea
Vietnam War crimes by South Korea
February 1968 in Asia
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