Vietnam’s “Burning Monk” Protest

Summary

History Daily: Vietnam’s “Burning Monk” Protest – Episode Summary

Introduction

In this gripping episode of History Daily, host Lindsey Graham delves into a pivotal moment in Vietnam's tumultuous history: the self-immolation of Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc on June 11, 1963. This act of profound sacrifice not only highlighted the intense religious and political tensions within South Vietnam but also played a critical role in shaping international perceptions and U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.

Background: Vietnam in 1963

The episode opens on June 11, 1963, in Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam. Nine years after the French relinquished control of their Southeast Asian colonies, Vietnam was starkly divided into two opposing states: the capitalist South Vietnam and the communist North Vietnam. This division was not merely geographic but ideological, leading to an almost immediate declaration of war and a prolonged struggle for supremacy between the two nations.

Religious Tensions and Policies

South Vietnam, under the leadership of President Ngo Dinh Diem, was predominantly Buddhist in terms of its population. However, Diem's regime was led by Catholics, leading to significant religious discrimination. As Lindsey Graham narrates, “Despite Buddhism being the country's majority religion, the Catholic-led regime is suppressing the right to worship and that's making many Buddhists angry” (00:00). This favoritism manifested in oppressive policies, such as the banning of Buddhist flags, which were forcibly removed from cities, while Catholic banners were allowed to fly freely without repercussions.

The Protests and Self-Immolation of Thich Quang Duc

Amidst rising discontent, Buddhist monks and nuns organized protests to demand religious equality. On June 11, 1963, 32-year-old reporter Malcolm Brown arrived in Saigon to cover a Buddhist protest. As he described in the episode, “A hush settles over the crowd as an elderly monk emerges from the procession and sits cross-legged on the road” (00:30). The tension escalated when a younger monk poured gasoline over Thich Quang Duc’s head. Remarkably, Duc remained composed, muttering a prayer as he set himself ablaze. Malcolm Brown captured this haunting image, noting, “Malcolm's professional instincts kick in. He snaps photographs as quickly as he can” (00:55).

Media Coverage and Global Impact

The photographs of Duc’s self-immolation quickly became iconic, appearing on front pages worldwide. Lindsey Graham emphasizes the transformative power of these images: “They will help change the course of history. South Vietnam's government will be toppled and the United States will be dragged deeper into the conflict” (15:00). This act of self-sacrifice brought international scrutiny to President Diem's oppressive policies, garnering sympathy for the Buddhist majority and increasing pressure on the Diem regime.

Government Response and Escalation

In the aftermath of Duc's death, Buddhist leaders presented a five-point manifesto demanding religious equality, compensation for victims' families, accountability for responsible soldiers, and an end to arbitrary arrests of Buddhists. President Diem, however, dismissed these demands, referring to the Buddhists derogatorily and refusing to implement any meaningful reforms. This response only fueled further unrest. As the episode details, “President Diem's heavy-handed actions don’t go unnoticed. Far beyond Saigon, South Vietnam's most important ally is watching with growing disapproval” (17:00).

Assassination of Ngo Dinh Diem and Aftermath

The mounting tensions culminated in a military coup on November 1, 1963, which ultimately led to the assassination of President Diem and his brother Ngo Dinh Nhu. Lindsey Graham recounts the dramatic fall of Diem: “Just behind him is his younger brother and political advisor Ngo Din Nhu. ... When the armored car arrives at its destination, the generals are aghast to find that Diem and his brother have been murdered by the soldiers guarding them” (16:00). This power vacuum plunged South Vietnam into instability, diminishing U.S. confidence in the regime and leading to increased American military involvement in the region.

Conclusion

The episode concludes by reflecting on the long-term consequences of Thich Quang Duc’s self-immolation. This single act of defiance not only exposed the deep-seated religious and political fractures within South Vietnam but also signaled the beginning of greater U.S. involvement, ultimately leading to the protracted and devastating Vietnam War. As Lindsey Graham aptly summarizes, “one of the steps that led to war came when Buddhist priest T' Quan Duk shocked the world by setting himself on fire in the streets of Saigon on June 11, 1963” (17:40).

Notable Quotes

• Lindsey Graham (00:00): “Despite Buddhism being the country's majority religion, the Catholic-led regime is suppressing the right to worship and that's making many Buddhists angry.”

• Lindsey Graham (00:55): “Malcolm's professional instincts kick in. He snaps photographs as quickly as he can.”

• Lindsey Graham (15:00): “They will help change the course of history. South Vietnam's government will be toppled and the United States will be dragged deeper into the conflict.”

• Lindsey Graham (17:00): “President Diem's heavy-handed actions don’t go unnoticed. Far beyond Saigon, South Vietnam's most important ally is watching with growing disapproval.”

Final Thoughts

This episode of History Daily provides a comprehensive and emotionally charged recounting of a critical moment in Vietnam's history. By focusing on the human elements and the broader geopolitical ramifications, Lindsey Graham effectively illustrates how the actions of a single individual can resonate through time, influencing global events and shaping the course of nations.

Transcript

[Lindsey Graham]

There are more ways than ever to listen to History Daily ad free. Listen with Wondry plus in the Wondery app as a member of Noiser plus at noiser.com or in Apple Podcasts. Or you can get all of History Daily plus other fantastic history [e-mail] it's the morning of June 11, 1963 in Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam. 32 year old reporter Malcolm Brown steps back onto the sidewalk as hundreds of Buddhist monks and nuns walk down the center of the road. Traffic grinds to a halt as the orange robed crowd blocks an entire intersection, chanting and banging drums. Malcolm feels a fizz of anticipation in the air. Not for the first time, a crisis is brewing in this fractious young country. Nine years ago, when France gave up its colonies in Southeast Asia, Vietnam was divided into two states, Capitalist South Vietnam and Communist North Vietnam. The two countries almost immediately declared war on each other and they've been engaged in a struggle for supremacy ever since. But South Vietnam's government isn't just fighting an external enemy. It also faces opposition from many of its own people. Despite Buddhism being the country's majority religion, the Catholic led regime is suppressing the right to worship and that's making many Buddhists angry. Yesterday, Malcolm got a tip that a Buddhist protest was going to take place in central Saigon and he's here to pick up the story. A hush settles over the crowd as an elderly monk emerges from the procession and sits cross legged on the road. Sensing that something newsworthy is about to happen, Malcolm reaches into his pocket and takes out a cheap camera while Malcolm checks to make sure there's film loaded, one of the younger monks picks up a can of gasoline and empties it over the elderly monk's head. The older monk takes no notice. He moves only to rotate a set of beads around his neck as he mutters a prayer beneath his breath. Then he reaches inside his robes, strikes a match and his gasoline soaked body goes up in flames. Malcolm's professional instincts kick in. He snaps photographs as quickly as he can, worried that the monks will step in. But no one does. Instead, they all watch and pray as the elderly monk sits unmoving, not uttering a sound as he slowly burns to death. By the next morning, Malcolm Brown's photographs of Buddhist monk Tich Kwon Duck will be on the front pages of newspapers around the world. But those pictures won't just turn a protest about religious oppression into global news. They will help change the course of history. South Vietnam's government will be toppled and the United States will be dragged deeper into the conflict. A chain of events that began with the spark of a match and an act of self sacrifice on a Saigon street on June 11, 1963. With the Spark CashPlus card from Capital One, you earn unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase and you get big purchasing power so your business can spend more and earn more. Steven, Brandon and Bruno, the business owners of Sandcloud, reinvested their 2% cash back to help build their retail presence. Now that's serious business. What could the Spark CashPlus card from Capital One do for your business? Capital One what's in your wallet? Find out [e-mail] SparkCashPlus terms apply history Daily is sponsored by A Truby. Lately you may have been hearing about a serious but rare heart condition called attr Cardiac Amyloidosis, or attrcm. Because symptoms can be similar to other heart conditions, it may take time to be diagnosed, but learning more about ATTRCM and a treatment called a truby, also called Acharamatis, could be important for you or a loved one. A ATRUBY is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with ATTRCM to reduce death and hospitalization due to heart issues. In one study, people taking a truby saw an impact on their health related quality of life and 50% fewer hospitalizations due to heart issues than people who didn't take Auby, giving you more chances to do what you love with who you love. Tell your doctor if you're pregnant, plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding and about the medications you take. The most common side effects were mild and included diarrhea and abdominal pain. If you have attrcm, talk to your cardiologist about attruby or visit attruby.com that's attruby.com to learn more from Noiser and Airship. I'm Lindsey Graham and this is History Daily. History is made every day on this podcast. Every day we tell the true stories of the people and events that shaped our world. Today is June 11, 1963 Vietnam's burning monk protest It's May 8, 1963 in Hue, a coastal city in South Vietnam. One month before Tik Quan Duck's self immolation in Saigon, 39 year old Thich Thai Kwong leads a procession of 500 other Buddhist monks across a bridge and into the city. Police stand by watching as the monks chant and wave flags. They're here to celebrate Vesak, the most important Buddhist festival of the year. But there's tension in the air because by taking part in this holy event, the monks are breaking the law. The vast majority of the South Vietnamese people are Buddhists, but not the country's ruler, President Ngo Dinh Diem. He's a Catholic and has pursued many policies which are seen to favor his fellow believers. Recently, President Diem passed a law banning the flying religious flags, and that led to Buddhist banners being forcibly removed from cities across the country. But one week ago, during a Christian celebration, Catholic flags were widely flown and and the authorities took no action. It's a double standard that looks set to continue in Hue. Given the number of police and military present, it appears that they're not going to turn a blind eye to today's Buddhist festival. Tri Kwang shakes his head as he passes another police vehicle, this one parked right underneath a Catholic flag that authorities have allowed to keep flying. The site only confirms Tri Kwang's belief that the law is not being applied even equally. But Tri Kwang is a man of peace. He calls on his brethren to ignore the police and soldiers as he leads them through the city to a Buddhist temple. There, another 2,000 people are waiting, and once everyone is assembled, Tri Kwong addresses the crowd. Although he's angry, his message is still one of compromise. He doesn't want Buddhists to be singled out for preferential treatment. He just wants all religions to be treated equally. But even as Tri Kwan speaks, he can hear police and army vehicles starting to block off roads near the temple. Tri Kwong is not looking for trouble, so he decides to end his speech and allow the crowd to disperse before the police break up the demonstration. But before they go, Tri Kwong asks his supporters to congregate at the local radio station later that evening, where Tri Kwong is scheduled to deliver a speech that will be broadcast to the entire region. A few hours later, Tri Kwang arrives at this radio station and finds that his followers have indeed massed in the street outside. But despite such a clear demonstration of support, authorities deny Tri Kwong entry to the radio station. The government has ordered that his broadcast be canceled. A standoff develops outside the station. The Buddhists protest what they see as censorship, while the police and army watch warily from a short distance away. The atmosphere is tense, and then two explosions rip through the street in quick succession. A few seconds later, soldiers fire guns and throw grenades into the crowd. The protesters scatter in panic as soldiers advance up the street with weapons drawn. When the smoke clears, the protesters are gone, but nine people are dead, including two children and another four are seriously injured. The army general in charge blames the deaths on a stampede that followed the bomb blasts. He suggests that the North Vietnamese planted the bombs to provoke a panic and claims that the army used non lethal concussion grenades to regain order. But these claims ring hollow when President Diem refuses permission for autopsies to be carried out on the victims and orders the arrest of a local doctor who claims the dead suffered injuries consistent with gunfire and grenade explosions. Not a stampede despite this outbreak of violence over the next few days, Tai Kwong and other Buddhist leaders attempt to negotiate with the government. They ask for compensation for the victims families and an end to the persecution of Buddhists. But President Diem bluntly refuses to accept responsibility and antagonizes his opponents further by announcing a 9pm curfew on the day of the funerals to prevent further disorder from breaking out. This continuing discrimination will leave Buddhist leaders like Tui Kwong frustrated. They will refuse to respond with force, though, and will continue to protest nonviolently or but the tension will only escalate until one Buddhist monk will eventually resort to extreme measures, actions which will capture the attention of the entire world History Daily is sponsored by Indeed. In your business, you're likely working hard to slowly move people through what they call the funnel from awareness to consideration to conversion. But have you ever thought that's the exact same funnel you have to move people through when hiring? Make them aware of your job, get them to consider applying, then convert them into a great new hire. But why move them slowly? 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With thumbtack, you don't have to be a home pro, you just have to hire one. You can hire top rated pros, see price estimates and read reviews all on the app. Download thumbtack Today, it's June 11, 1963, in Saigon. A few seconds after Tikwan Duck set himself on fire, the young Buddhist monk who poured gasoline over Quang Duck's head stands back with tears in his eyes. Even though the young monk knew what was about to happen, it is still a shock to see his friend taking his own life. Following the massacre that killed nine people in Hue, Buddhist protests in South Vietnam coalesced into a five point manifesto. Buddhist leaders wanted religious equality between Buddhists and Catholics, the freedom to fly Buddhist flags to compensation for the victims of the massacre, punishment for the soldiers responsible, and an end to the arbitrary arrest of Buddhists. President Ngo Dinh Diem met with a Buddhist delegation to discuss their grievances, but he didn't take them seriously. The official government press release that followed the meeting even referred to the Buddhists as damn fools. So with little progress made, Quang Duck volunteered to make the ultimate sacrifice to and show everyone the strength of feeling among South Vietnam's Buddhists. Now, as Quong Duck burns, the young monk who poured gasoline over him becomes aware of the eerie silence that settled over the busy intersection. To ensure that there can be no confusion over what is happening, he begins loudly chanting. A Buddhist priest becomes a martyr. Then the young monk spots a Western man with a camera and begins to alternate his chanting between Vietnamese and English. He hopes that this photographer is a journalist who might report Kwang Duck's self immolation and the Buddha's protests to the world. The young monk's chant is soon drowned out by the sirens of approaching fire engines. But the firefighters are prevented from intervening by the monks and nuns surrounding the intersection, who refuse to move out of the way. Ten minutes after setting himself alight, Kwang Duck's body slumps backward and the fire begins to subside. The young monk smothers the last flames with a robe, and then, with the help of several other monks, he lifts up the charred corpse and lays it inside a wooden casket. The thick smoke from the fire has drawn many onlookers, and the initial procession of 350 demonstrators swells to a crowd of more than a thousand. Addressing these protesters, Buddhist leaders repeat their demands for religious equality, but they seem to fall on deaf ears. Five hours later, when the protest begins to disperse, 36 monks and nuns hold an impromptu prayer meeting on the street. But it's not long before it's broken up by police in riot gear, who arrest the monks and nuns for holding an unauthorized religious assembly. It's a disappointing end to the day. Quang Duck's death appears to have changed nothing. But over the next few days, Quang Duck's fellow monks realize that his public suicide has had an effect. Malcolm Brown's photographs escalate the crisis from a domestic problem into an international scandal. And this leads South Vietnam's most powerful ally, the United States, to put pressure on President Diem. They want him to reopen the negotiations that stalled after the Hue massacre. Diem knows he's in a weak position without American support, so he appeals for calm and asks the Buddhists to trust him. But President Diem's past actions have poisoned his relationship with South Vietnam's main religion. And Buddhist confidence in President Diem falls even further when his wife is heard joking about Quang Duck's suicide. And when his ministers start circulating conspiracy theories, suggesting to the media that Quang Duck was an unwilling martyr who had to be drugged before he set himself on fire. Or they hint that the entire thing was arranged by American photojournalist Malcolm Brown, who bribed Kwon Duck to commit suicide just to secure a news story. These rumors and President Diem's actions only inflame tensions, and worse is to come. Two months after Quang Duct's death, South Vietnamese special forces raid several Buddhist temples. Their aim is to find and seize Quang Duck's ashes. And while Buddhist monks do escape with the cremated remains, government soldiers manage to confiscate Quang Duck's charred heart, which had been venerated as a relic in the weeks since his death. President Diem's heavy handed response doesn't go unnoticed. Far beyond Saigon, South Vietnam's most important ally is watching with growing disapproval. And it won't be long before President Diem loses the backing of the United States. And without American support, his days in office will be numbered.

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[Lindsey Graham]

On November 1, 1963 in the Presidential palace in Saigon. Five months after Thich Quan Duck's self immolation, the 62 year old President of South Vietnam, Ngo Dinh Diem, flings open a trapdoor, revealing a dark secret staircase beneath the floor. He hurries down the steps clutching a briefcase stuffed with dollar bills. Just behind him is his younger brother and political advisor Ngo Din Nhu. Two loyal aides follow, closing the trapdoor behind them, and together the four men descend deep into the earth until they reach a tunnel. Then they hurry through the darkness and away from the palace, their hearts pounding with fear. Only a few hours ago, a military coup toppled Diem's regime. His anti Buddhist policies have alienated the vast majority of his people and angered his main ally, the US Government. When the Americans withdrew their support of Diem, two unhappy generals in the South Vietnamese army made their movement. The coup was swift, but Diem still had a trick up his sleeve. Anticipating a day like this, Diem had three secret escape routes built out of the presidential palace. And now he's managed to slip unnoticed into one of these tunnels. Soon, Diem and his entourage emerge from the tunnel and run to a waiting car. The driver uses back roads to avoid army checkpoints and stops at the home of a friendly Chinese merchant on the outskirts of Saigon. After a sleepless night, Diem and his brother move again to a nearby Catholic church. But they arrive just as mass is finishing, and they're recognized by one of the departing worshipers. A few minutes later, security forces rush into the church with guns drawn. Former President Diem has no choice but to surrender, and soon Diem and his brother are bundled into an armored personnel carrier and taken to army headquarters. There, the generals intend for Diem to give up power in a televised address to the nation, one that will boost the new regime's legitimacy. But Diem will never get the chance to resign. When the armored car arrives at its destination, the generals are aghast to find that Diem and his brother have been murdered by the soldiers guarding them. The assassination of Diem has far reaching consequences. Hopes that this new regime will be any better than the old already seem misplaced. The generals behind the coup soon begin infighting, and South Vietnam is plunged into months of uncertainty. With communist North Vietnam poised to take advantage of the chaos, the United States steps up its involvement in the region. Its military commitment in Vietnam will only grow from that point on. And by the mid-1960s, American troops will be on the ground fighting an ultimately doomed war against the communist forces of the North. It's a war that will change both Vietnam and the United States. It will result in the death of thousands of Americans and up to 3 million Vietnamese soldiers and civilians. And although he didn't know it at the time, one of the steps that led to war came when Buddhist priest t' Quan Duk shocked the world by setting himself on fire in the streets of Saigon on June 11, 1963. Next on History Daily. June 12, 1864. One of the Civil War's bloodiest encounters finally concludes when Union soldiers retreat at the Battle of Cold Harbor. From Noiser and Airship, this is History Daily. Hosted, edited and executive produced by me, Lindsey Graham. Audio editing by Mohammed Shahzeeb Sound design by Matthew Filler Music by Thrung. This episode is written and researched by Scott Reeves. Edited by Dorian Marino. Managing producer Emily Byrd. Executive producers are William Simpson for Airship and Pascal Hughes for Noiser.

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