A Buddhist monk's self-immolation in Saigon in 1963 became an image that shook the Diệm government

historyWikipedia1963 · Saigon, South Vietnam

A Buddhist monk's self-immolation in Saigon in 1963 became an image that shook the Diệm government

the gist

Thích Quảng Đức was a Vietnamese Mahayana Buddhist monk who died by self-immolation at a busy road intersection in Saigon on 11 June 1963. He was protesting the persecution of Buddhists by the South Vietnamese government of Ngô Đình Diệm, a Catholic. Photographs of his death circulated worldwide and drew attention to Diệm's policies. John F. Kennedy said no news picture had generated so much emotion around the world. Diệm promised reforms that were not carried out, and protests intensified, with raids on Buddhist pagodas by forces loyal to his brother. Several other monks followed Quảng Đức's example. Eventually a US-backed coup toppled Diệm, who was assassinated on 2 November 1963.

so what

The photograph shows how a single image can change political pressure and public opinion, and it became a turning point in the lead-up to the coup. It remains a defining moment in the history of the Vietnam War era.

fun fact

Malcolm Browne won the World Press Photo of the Year for his photograph of the monk's death.

Hampi was once one of the world's largest cities, until its Vijayanagara capital was destroyed in 1565

the gist

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.

how it works

The city was built around a fortified core with temples, markets and water structures along the river, supplied by an extensive network of roads and waterworks. When the empire fell, the city was not rebuilt, so its stone monuments were left standing.

so what

Hampi shows how quickly a great city can vanish after a military defeat, and how a ruined capital can remain sacred. Its ruins give historians a view of medieval South Asia that few other sites can match.

fun fact

The name Hampi comes from Pampa, an old name for the Tungabhadra River.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · text CC BY-SA 4.0

Image: Wikimedia Commons

source: Wikipedia ↗

2 min

politicsshortCNA2:01

False allegations about Singapore’s hand in Indonesia’s markets and a made-up meeting

from CNA

CNA Verify has found close to 400 posts pushing falsehoods tying Singapore to Indonesia’s stock market rout and to a secret meeting that never took place. Together, they drew nearly 12 million views, and some were circulated by accounts that appeared to be working in concert, across multiple social media platforms.

Here’s how the disinformation campaign targeting Singapore was uncovered.

on YouTube: CNA ↗