Mỹ Lai Massacre In March 1968, U.S. soldiers entered the village of Mỹ Lai in South Vietnam, where hundreds of unarmed civilians—including women, children, and elderly people—were killed in one of the darkest incidents of the Vietnam War. Varnado Simpson, one of the soldiers involved, later spoke publicly about the lasting psychological impact of what happened. In interviews, he described being haunted by memories of the massacre, struggling with guilt, trauma, and substance abuse for years afterward. He said he could never escape what he had witnessed and done. His testimony is not a justification of the events, but a reminder of the devastating human consequences of war—for victims, survivors, and those who participated. Simpson died by suicide in 1997. The My Lai massacre remains a solemn reminder of why history must be remembered and studied.