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Son Thang: An American War Crime

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Smaller wars, bigger war crimes seems an apt description of the New World Order. Brutal atrocities by members of armed forces of questionable pedigree and dubious professionalism have been the stuff of numerous front page stories since the deconstruction of the Soviet empire. The apparent intransigence or inability of particular governments to punish genocidal rapes and murders, reprisals, and pillaging have prompted collective reaction in the call for establishment of an international court for the trial of war crimes. To the consternation of our friends and the comfort of our enemies, the military establishment of the United States has opposed such a tribunal, asserting ,on the one hand, that our domestic military law affords sufficient deterrence for U.S. forces, while, insisting on the other that an international court offers too great a risk of railroading innocent Ameican soldiers, sailors, and aviators.

For the contemporary study of these issues, Gary Solis offers an excellent historical lesson in Son Thang: An American War Crime. He recounts the story of the killing of several women and children during one night operation by a small band of U.S. Marines in Viet Nam, not long after the more notorious massacre of non-combatants by Americans at My Lai. Within earshot of their commanders, the Marines pulled women and children from their homes, gunned them down, and then tried to cover it up. From the story of the atrocity, he unfolds the story of its exposure by other, relentless Marines, and then the story of its legal accounting, in a series of courts martial right there in the field. When Solis has finished his report, he leaves readers to judge the effectiveness of the American process of military criminal justice for the prosecution of war crimes. For a former Marine with combat experience himself, Solis the story-teller excels in making the context intelligible for the rest of us. He seems to know just what needs explaining, from the art of night patrolling to the atmosphere of the ramshackle huts in which court was held so close to the continued fighting. He tells a gripping and tragic story clearly. Having heard it, we are the better to judge whether even as distinguished and professional a fighting force as the U.S. Marines can be left to police its own. Son Thang: An American War Crime is not only a fine read, it is an excellent lesson.

Professor Gary Solis' "Son Thang: An American War Crime" is an excellent account of the courts-martial of four Marines for the murder of 16 Vietnamese civilians during the Vietnam War. Drawing from the transcripts from the courts-martial, the appellate record, the historical record, and interviews with many of the participants, Solis - a Vietnam veteran who served as both a military prosecutor and military judge in the Marines and who now teaches military law at West Point - gives a complete picture of the story as only a true insider can.

Although this book is history, it reads like a novel. Solis brings the tension of the battlefield and the drama of the courtroom alive in this book. And he also brings alive the legal maneuvering before each court-martial as the prosecutors, defense counsel, and - in some cases - civilian defense counsel, all "prepared the battlefield" before each court-martial.

As a former practitioner of military justice, Solis understands the nuances and intricacies of military justice, staff work on a division staff, and the actual role of commanders in the process. He methodically explains how military justice works in a deployed environment (the rules are the same, but there are many "real-world" problems such as witness production and transportation that can threaten an otherwise sound case).

Finally, Solis also gives glimpses of the bigger picture of the Vietnam War in 1970: the USMC manpower problems with Project 100,000, law of war training issues, the moral problems dealt with by Marines facing women and children fighters, etc. And, after telling the full post-trial stories of the convicted Marines (that went on for over 10 years), Solis wraps up with some conclusions about what went wrong, what went right, and suggestions for improving the military justice system (which are especially relevant now that we are again trying important courts-martial in deployed environments).

"Son Thang" is an outstanding book and a very easy read. Anyone interested in the Vietnam War, military justice, or in trial work in general should read it.

"Son Thang" is both an important work of legal scholarship and a compelling, well-written story. Col. Solis documents, step by step, exactly how the Marine Corps treated its own suspected of war crimes in Vietnam-they were quickly tried, and if convicted, imprisoned. There were no coverups and no excuses. Marines accused of killing non-combatants were swiftly brought to book and the chips allowed to fall where they may. Here, it appears that several of the Marine Corps prosecutors were out-lawyered by civilian attorneys. That doesn't matter; a trial is, after all, a contest. What matters is that the Marine Corps had-and has always had and will always have-the will to try those accused of atrocities.

The reviews of Gary Solis's SON THANG are entirely accurate: the book is a masterpiece of historical research and sharp, incisive, nuanced writing. A gripping and depressing read, the book examines not only the singular horror of the Son Thang massacre (and in that it is a refreshing alternative to the incident as presented in Oliver North's white-washed memoirs, and Randy Herrod's self-serving BLUE'S BASTARDS), but also the decline in morale and professional standards during the waning days of the Vietnam War. That this decay almost overwhelmed the draftee-filled U.S. Army is an accepted fact. That an institution as proud as the Marine Corps (an institution which had upheld its highest traditions at places like Con Thien, Hue, Khe Sanh, and Dai Do from 1965-68) was also dry-rotting during the 1969-70 period is not as well known. Though a proud Marine veteran himself, the author is willing to look such ugly truths square in the eye, and SONG THANG is all the better for it. The Foreword by BrigGen E.H. Simmons, USMC (Ret), is also fascinating.

An exceptonally well written and researched account of a shameful chapter of the Vietnam war. It is a fast-paced and gripping read, even when covering points of military and international law that are obscure to the layman. Gary Solis does a masterful job, perhaps as only a combat veteran can, of setting forth the moral choices that sometimes face men during war, and the conflicting ethical forces effecting those who had to deal with this horrible tragedy. Ultimately, I came away depressed because so many involved in the Son Thang incident and its aftermath made morally wrong decisions and choices when the correct courses of action appeared clear from the outset.

An exceptonally well written and researched account of a shameful chapter of the Vietnam war. It is a fast-paced and gripping read, even when covering points of military and international law that are obscure to the layman. Gary Solis does a masterful job, perhaps as only a combat veteran can, of setting forth the moral choices that sometimes face men during war, and the conflicting ethical forces effecting those who had to deal with this horrible tragedy. Ultimately, I came away depressed because so many involved in the Son Thang incident and its aftermath made morally wrong decisions and choices when the correct courses of action appeared clear from the outset.

A very interesting book.The author was not afraid to put the blame where it belonged. I wonder how many more such incidents happened in the time we were in Nam.As a Nam vet I know to well what it was like to be in a situation where you are damned if you do and damned if you don't. Hind sight is always 20 - 20,but sometimes our boys were put in a situation like that and were killed if they didn't take the nescesary steps. I am not condoning any senseless killing, but when it is kill or be killed you do what you have to do.

Gary Solis, the author of Son Thang is a retired Marine officer who is a combat veteran of the Vietnam War. He thereafter became a military lawyer and judge, and holds a PhD in political science. Since leaving the Marine Corps he has had a distinguished academic career as a professor specializing in military law in both England and the U.S., including a teaching appointment at West Point. With thjs uniquely oriented background he is superbly qualified to relate the story of the atrocity killings in the Vietnam village of Son Thang in 1970, and to explore the age old dilemma faced by highly trained and aggressive troops in the middle of an extremely dangerous combat zone. When is the killing of civilans a part and parcel of the conduct of war, and when is it premeditated murder? He particularly focusses on the ability of the U.S. military fairly and professionally to administer and enforce the U.S. Code of Military Justice in a politically overheated atmosphere. He carries out this mission by telling the fascinating story of the Marines involved in this only major atrocity in the history of the Marines, and their performance, both heroic and disgraceful in turn, And even more dramatically, he tells the story of the Marine officers and lawyers who discovered the crime, investigated the facts of the matter while at times exposed to enemy fire, and who, with great integrity, dedication, and skill, sought justice in the face of career threatening political scrutiny. For those who savor courtroom drama, and have an affinity for military history, and the principles of justice we treasure in America, this volume is a fascinating, and an elevating example demonstrating that these principles are strong and safe in our military justice system. The young officer/lawyers seen performing their profession in the middle of the war zone are a little noticed and rarely celebrated part of the the finest and most just military in the recorded history of civilized man. The quality of this book is confirmed by the fact it is still considered the authoritative study text for West Point cadets, and is recognized throughout the military justice system as a great story exemplifying those who serve in combat.

The reviews of Gary Solis's SON THANG are entirely accurate: the book is a masterpiece of historical research and sharp, incisive, nuanced writing. A gripping and depressing read, the book examines not only the singular horror of the Son Thang massacre (and in that it is a refreshing alternative to the incident as presented in Oliver North's white-washed memoirs, and Randy Herrod's self-serving BLUE'S BASTARDS), but also the decline in morale and professional standards during the waning days of the Vietnam War. That this decay almost overwhelmed the draftee-filled U.S. Army is an accepted fact. That an institution as proud as the Marine Corps (an institution which had upheld its highest traditions at places like Con Thien, Hue, Khe Sanh, and Dai Do from 1965-68) was also dry-rotting during the 1969-70 period is not as well known. Though a proud Marine veteran himself, the author is willing to look such ugly truths square in the eye, and SONG THANG is all the better for it. The Foreword by BrigGen E.H. Simmons, USMC (Ret), is also fascinating.

I Just got through reading the book for the second time,and it
was just as good to me the second time as the first.
I will never understand the disparagey in the verdicts.To me the one that was most guilty got off scott free, while the least
guilyy got the worst punishment.That militarry justicefor you though.