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.
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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.
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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% |
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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% |
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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.
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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% |
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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% |
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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% |
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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% |
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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.