Buddhist crisis and pagoda raids Diệu Đế Pagoda

south vietnam s buddhist majority had long been discontented oppressive rule of president diệm since rise power in 1955. diệm showed favouritism towards catholics , discrimination against buddhists in army, public service , distribution of government aid. in countryside, catholics de facto exempt performing corvée labour , in rural areas, catholic priests led private armies against buddhist villages. discontent diệm exploded mass protest in huế during summer of 1963 when 9 buddhists died @ hand of diệm s army , police on vesak, birthday of gautama buddha. in may 1963, law against flying of religious flags selectively invoked; buddhist flag banned display on vesak while vatican flag displayed celebrate anniversary of consecration of archbishop pierre martin ngô Đình thục, diệm s elder brother. buddhists defied ban , protest began march starting từ Đàm government broadcasting station ended when government forces opened fire. result, buddhist protests held across country , steadily grew in size, asking signing of joint communique end religious inequality. từ Đàm pagoda major organising point buddhist movement , location of hunger strikes, barricades , protests.

as tension increased , opposition diệm intensified, turning point came shortly after midnight on 21 august, when ngô Đình nhu s special forces raided , vandalised buddhist pagodas across country, rounding thousands of monks , leaving hundreds dead. determined resistance diệm regime occurred outside diệu Đế pagoda. troops attempted stretch barbed wire barricade across bridge leading pagoda, large crowd of pro-buddhist laypeople , anti-government protesters tore down bare hands. crowd fought heavily armed military personnel rocks, sticks , bare fists, throwing tear gas grenades aimed @ them. after five-hour battle, military won control of bridge @ dawn driving armored cars through angry crowd. defense of bridge , diệu Đế left estimated 30 dead , 200 wounded. ten truckloads of bridge defenders taken jail , estimated 500 people arrested in city. total number of dead , disappeared never confirmed, estimates range several hundred.

after deposal , assassination of diệm, temple later became center of anti-american , anti-war protests buddhists , students against vietnam war. during period of chaos , protest in 1966, temple stormed police , army under general tôn thất Đính, had been sent in prime minister nguyễn cao kỳ quell anti-government protests. many monks arrested, along supporters , student protesters.