SURVEY RESULTS 

QUESTION:  Do you agree or disagree with the decision of the military court which found (Lt. William) Calley guilty (in connection with the My Lai incident) and gave him a life sentence?

        Agree                           7%             

        Disagree                     78%

        No opinion                 15%
 

    From a telephone survey of 1,090 adults from across the United States conducted for President Nixon on April 1, 1971.
 

QUESTION:  Do you think President Nixon should free Lt. William Calley, substantially reduce his sentence, or uphold his life imprisonment sentence (in connection with the My Lai incident)?

        Free Lt. William Calley                                    51%

        Substantially reduce his sentence                     28% 

        Uphold his life immprisonment sentence             9%

        No opinion                                                      12% 
 

    From a telephone survey of 973 adults from across the United States conducted by Opinion Reasearch Corporation for President Nixon on April 5-6, 1971.
    

QUESTION 001:  Do you approve or disapprove of the court martial finding that Lt. Calley is guilty of premeditated murder?  (If  'Disapprove', ask:)  Do you disapprove of the verdict because you think what happened at My Lai was not a crime, or because you think many others besides Lt. Calley share the responsibility for what happened?

        Approve                                                        11%

        Disapprove/Not a crime                                 15%

        Disapprove/Others share responsibility           56%

        Disapprove/Both reasons (vol.)                        1%

        Disapprove/Other reasons (vol.)                       5%

        No opinion                                                     11%
 

QUESTION 002:  Do you think Lt. Calley is being made the scapegoat for the actions of others above him or not (with regard to the My Lai incident)?

        Yes                                      70%

        No                                       12%

        No opinion                           18%
 

QUESTION 003:  Do you think the (Lt.) Calley sentence of life imprisonment (after his court martial finding of guilty in the My Lai incident) is fair or too harsh, or too lenient?

        Fair                                      13%

        Too harsh                             79%

        Too lenient                             1%

        No opinion                             7%
 

 From a telephone survey of 522 adults from across the United States conducted by The Gallup Organization for Newsweek in April, 1971.
 

QUESTION 069:  (Now let me read you some statements that have been made about Lt. Calley and the My Lai incident.  For each, tell me if you tend to agree or disagree.) . . . The soldiers at My Lai were only following orders from their higher ups.

        Agree                                    77%

        Disagree                                  9%

        Not sure                                14%
 

QUESTION 070:   (Now let me read you some statements that have been made about Lt. Calley and the My Lai incident.  For each, tell me if you tend to agree or disagree.) . . .  Lt. Calley has been singled out unfairly as a scapegoat.

        Agree                                    77%

        Disagree                                15%

        Not sure                                  8%
 

QUESTION 076:   How would you rate President Nixon on the way he reacted to the court-martial of Lt. Calley (in the My Lai incident)?

        Excellent                                27%

        Pretty good                            31%

        Only fair                                 17%   

        Poor                                      18%

        Not sure                                  7%
 

QUESTION 080:  (Let me read you some statements that have been made about the way President Nixon reacted to the court-martial of Lt. Calley (in the My Lai incident) and tell me whether you agree or disagree.) . . . President Nixon has come close to undermining the system of military justice by showing sympathy with Lt. Calley.

        Agree                                    28%

        Disagree                                58%

        Not sure                                14%
 

QUESTION 083:  Do you tend to agree or disagree with the Army Court-martial Board the found Lt. William Calley guilty (in the My Lai incident)?

        Agree with decision                24%

        Disagree with decision            65%  

        Not sure                                11%
 

  From a personal survey of 1600 adults from across the United States conducted by Louis Harris and Associates in April, 1971.