Buddhist+Protests

Buddhist Protests 1963

 These suicides were just one form of protest that the Buddhist used to show that they were not happy that Diem wouldn’t allow them to fly banners in celebration of one of their religious holidays. Diem made it even worse because a few days earlier he flew Catholic-themed flags in honor his brothers promotion to archbishop of the Catholic Church. There were other demonstrations and protest before the suicide which turned violent and many protesters died, were wounded, and went to jail. The first suicide took place on the morning of June 11, 1963, Quang Duc, a 73-year-old Buddhist monk meditated in the middle of a busy intersection while another monk poured gasoline on him. Quang Duc then lit a match to set himself on fire in protest of Diem’s repression of the Buddhist religion.

The picture of the suicide appeared all of the world including the United States and caused shocked many people. Many Americans were persuaded to pay more attention to their country’s involvement in South Vietnam. The protest, especially the suicides, showed the world how Diem was treating the Buddhists in South Vietnam. Diem’s brother made a controversial statement, “if the Buddhists want to have another barbecue, I will be happy to supply the gasoline." Diem’s sister-in-law made a similar statement, “if they burn thirty women we shall go ahead and clap our hands.” These statements stunned President Kennedy and other U.S. officials. They "suggested" to Diem that Madame Nhu, Diem’s sister-in-law, and Ngo Dinh Nhu, his brother, should be removed from the government and country. Diem was not about to kick his brother and sister-in-law out of the government because he relied greatly on both of them.

This event is was a turn for the worse for Diem as the leader of South Vietnam. Diem did not handle the situation well at all and never should have allowed his brother and sister-in-law to make those statements. Diem dug his own grave the way he handle this event and events involving the Buddhists later on. Diem's brother and sister-in-law should never had said those statements especially because of the reactions the picture got all around the world.



Next (Overthrow of Diem)

Citations

Hillstrom, Kevin, and Laurie Hillstrom. //Vietnam War Almanac// . 1st ed. United States of America: UXL, 2001. 83-85. Print.

"Self-Immolation in Vietnam." //anglefire.com//. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov 2010. .