Have you seen this photo before? Why is it such a powerful image?

Have you seen this

photo before?

Why is it such a

powerful image?

The photo is of a Vietnamese Monk called Quang Duc. In 1963 he burned himself to death at a busy street junction in Saigon (the capital of South Vietnam) in protest at the persecution of Buddhist monks by the South Vietnamese Government led by Ngo Dinh Diem.

A US reporter who saw his death said: “Behind me I could hear the sobbing of [people]… who were now gathering. I was too shocked to cry... As he burned he never moved a muscle, never uttered a sound, his outward composure in sharp contrast to the wailing people around him.”

No news picture in history has generated so much emotion around the world as that one

THE VIETNAM WAR AND THE US MEDIA

The plan for today….

Analyse a famous photo taken during the Vietnam War

Consider the impact of the My Lai massacre

Explain the importance of a series of other photos to the US public’s attitude toward the war

• The US public got a clearer picture of the horrors of the war than during any previous war.

• There was less censorship, and people had TVs in their homes.

• Certain images changed people’s opinions about the war all around the world…

• Do you know this picture?

• What caused this harm?

• Why did this photo become so famous?

• Video link

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Phan Ti Kim Phuc, many years later, with her newborn

son

Photo analysis Activity 1

The plan for today….

Analyse a famous photo taken during the Vietnam War

Consider the impact of the My Lai massacre

Explain the importance of a series of other photos to the US public’s attitude toward the war

1

7

3 4

5

6

2

8

Photo analysis Activity 2

CHOOSE 4 OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS TO ANALYSE IN DETAIL. YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO COMPLETE EVERY BOX FOR EVERY PICTURE.

Photo No?

People / objects? Actions? Impact on US audience? To fill in later: were you right? Anything to add?

Ext: Complete the analysis for the remaining photos in your exercise book.

D) In America, there were large peace / anti-war demonstrations across the country.Picture __________

F) On 30 April 1975 soldiers of the North Vietnamese Army entered Saigon, in the south of Vietnam, capturing the presidential palace and assuming control of the country.

Picture __________C) Lieutenant Colonel Robert L Stirm is met by his family at a military base in California on his return from Vietnam.

Picture __________

G) A woman carries her wounded daughter away from the fighting.

Picture _______

E) This picture of US Army helicopters pouring machine gun fire into the tree line during an attack on a Viet Cong camp near the Cambodian border is like a scene from a Hollywood film.

Picture __________

B) A wounded paratrooper of the 101st Airborne guides a medical evacuation helicopter through the jungle foliage to pick up casualties during a five-day patrol of Hue, South Vietnam, in 1968.

Picture ____________

A) Many US soldiers were young, inexperienced, and did not wish to fight in the war.

Picture _________

H) The aftermath of the My Lai massacre, March 1968Picture _______

The plan for today….

Analyse a famous photo taken during the Vietnam War

Consider the impact of the My Lai massacre

Explain the importance of a series of other photos to the US public’s attitude toward the war

The My Lai massacre 1968

Read Walsh p. 361

1. Summarise the massacre and its

impact in 4-5 bullet points in your ex. book

2. Answer questions 2 & 3 on Walsh p. 361

-------

OR (alternative to 2)

Write a short VC propaganda pamphlet

using My Lai to call on all Vietnamese to resist and

attack the US soldiers

The plan for today….

Analyse a famous photo taken during the Vietnam War

Consider the impact of the My Lai massacre

Explain the importance of a series of other photos to the US public’s attitude toward the war