Assignment 4: Corey McMullin

Thich Quang Duc was a Vietnamese Buddhist monk. On June 11, 1963, Duc sat down in the middle of a street and burned himself to death. He was protesting against the South Vietnamese government, and their persecution of the Buddhists. As he burned, Duc sat perfectly still, and remained silent. This protest inspired other monks to follow suit and protest using self-immolation. This picture, taken early into Vietnam War gained great interest among Americans, as Duc was protesting against the cruelties of our ally in southern Vietnam, Diem. The protest, and others like it, helped spark a large offensive against Diem. He was later assassinated in November of that year, nearly 6 months after Duc committed suicide. He lived a very religious life, becoming a monk at the age of 20. The street on which the final temple he built stands was named after him in 1975, and it is located in the same city in which he became world-wide news.