On March 16, 1968, US troops massacred over 500 Vietnamese civilians in the village of My Lai during a search for enemy fighters. Troops rounded up and killed civilians, including women, children, and animals, through shooting, grenades, and bayonets. The massacre was successfully covered up for 18 months until reports surfaced in late 1969. Twenty-six soldiers were later charged with war crimes for their role, though only Lieutenant William Calley Jr. was convicted of murder for directly killing over 100 civilians himself. The massacre reduced US support for the Vietnam War and prompted widespread international outrage.