Memo from Lawrence H. Williams to General Abrams, March 21, 1970

This memorandum from Army lawyer Williams to General Abrams discusses how the Army should handle those involved in the My Lai Massacre in Vietnam. Williams recommends that soldiers who directly participated in the killings face court-martial, but he advises against trying officers accused only of failing to report the incident, saying it would be unfair and damaging to morale. He argues that administrative actions and reprimands would be sufficient, warning that further prosecutions could harm the Army’s reputation.