On March 16, 1968, the U.S. soldiers of Charlie Company, 11th Infantry Brigade, Americal Division entered into the village of My Lai in Vietnam and opened fire. Although there were no reports of any of the villagers shooting at them, the U.S. soldiers went through the My Lai village mercilessly killing old men, women, and even children and infants. There were reports of gang rapes as well as large groups mowed down by machine gun fire. It didn't help if families huddled in their huts or whether they came out with their arms up in surrender, they too were killed. In total, 504 villagers were murdered. When news of the My Lai Massacre reached the U.S., there was a huge outcry. My Lai became a symbol of all that was wrong with the Vietnam War.