Random Story Behind The Vietnam-Era Monk Self-Immolation Photo (5 items)

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  (#5) Other Monks Followed Suit

  Although Duc's immolation is known as a pivotal moment in Vietnam's fight for religious equality, his sacrifice did not instantaneously affect President Diem's policies. Several other monks followed in Duc's footsteps in the proceeding weeks, amid continued protests by the Buddhist community. 

  In November of 1963, members of the South Vietnamese military assassinated Diem and his brother during a coup, ending his Catholic reign over South Vietnam.
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  (#1) The Monks Demanded Acceptance

  President Diem's discrimination of the Buddhist population pushed hundreds of monks to protest for change. In May of 1963, they presented the government with five demands, including proposed laws against religious discrimination and the freedom to fly whichever religious flags they chose.

  The government had promised the monks a response, but Diem essentially ignored their requests. This silence from their government ultimately pushed the monks to much more drastic action to fight for their convictions.
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  (#4) JFK Addressed The Moment's Deep Emotional Impact

  Once photographer Malcolm Browne sent his "monk on fire" photos to the Associated Press, they reached US newspapers within 16 hours. The Western reaction to the images was decidedly shocked, and President Kennedy was quoted as saying, "No news picture in history has generated so much emotion around the world as that one." Browne was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for the photograph.

  The photos, in addition to the news of religious discrimination in Vietnam, supposedly led Kennedy to reexamine America's policies and presence in the country, ultimately culminating in the US's involvement in the Vietnam War.
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  (#3) Duc's Heart Did Not Burn

  After Duc's self-immolation was complete, the other monks placed robes over his body and carried him away in a makeshift wooden coffin. He was later re-cremated for a proper burial, but mysteriously, his heart did not burn and remained intact. 

  Duc's heart was placed on display in a glass container in the Xa Loi Pagoda and was seen as a sacred relic representing compassion.
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  (#2) A Journalist Captured Duc's Utter Composure

  Duc prepared himself for his fiery demise with a steady, calm demeanor. David Halberstam, a journalist for the New York Times, was present for Duc's immolation and wrote about the dramatic act:

  "I was to see that sight again, but once was enough. Flames were coming from a human being; his body was slowly withering and shriveling up, his head blackening and charring. In the air was the smell of burning human flesh; human beings burn surprisingly quickly. Behind me I could hear the sobbing of the Vietnamese who were now gathering. I was too shocked to cry, too confused to take notes or ask questions, too bewildered to even think... As he burned he never moved a muscle, never uttered a sound, his outward composure in sharp contrast to the wailing people around him."

  As for Duc himself, he left his final words in a letter:

  "Before closing my eyes and moving towards the vision of the Buddha, I respectfully plead to President Ngo Dinh Diem to take a mind of compassion towards the people of the nation and implement religious equality to maintain the strength of the homeland eternally. I call the venerables, reverends, members of the sangha and the lay Buddhists to organize in solidarity to make sacrifices to protect Buddhism."

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