Human Rights Violations Committed by the US Military: A Case Study of My Lai and Haditha

This research examines human rights violations committed by the United States military and steps that can be taken to decrease the likelihood of such events continuing to happen. Specifically examining the My Lai Massacre of the Vietnam War and the Haditha Massacre of the Iraq War, the study finds that human rights violations are more likely to be committed when the military is lacking leadership or experience, as well as the professionalization of the military that may result in service members becoming desensitized to the violence of war. Three solutions are provided, concluding that a strict balance of volunteer and career military members, improvement on available resources to deal with the stressors of war and mental health of service members, and improved accountability for those members who commit violations may decrease the likelihood of war atrocities.