Final answer:
The discussion revolves around the My Lai Massacre during the Vietnam War and the documentation of WWII atrocities, highlighting issues of trauma faced by veterans, moral dilemmas in wartime, and the importance of historical record for war crimes trials.
Step-by-step explanation:
The diary entries in question relate to violent events that took place during significant historical moments and wars. Notably, the September Massacres refer to the bloody events during the French Revolution. In talking about soldiers following a certain event, the passage suggests the infamous My Lai Massacre during the Vietnam War. Soldiers, upon returning from the conflict, were largely silent about their experiences, highlighting a common theme of the trauma faced by veterans and the moral dilemmas encountered during wartime.
Following the My Lai Massacre, where innocent civilians were killed, the military conducted investigations but initially attempted to cover up the incident. It became public knowledge when US troops began circulating letters and photos, leading to a trial and the conviction of Lieutenant William Calley, who reflected a broader issue of command responsibility and the challenges faced by soldiers in such conflicts.
Meanwhile, the atrocities of World War II and the Holocaust were meticulously documented by Allied soldiers and authorities to ensure that the systematic murder by the Nazis and their collaborators was properly recorded for future generations, and to facilitate war crimes trials. The references to interrogation transcripts and other documents highlight the effort to understand the motives and actions of individuals involved in such events, as well as the scale of their destruction.