The burning monk is Thich
Quang Duc, an elderly Buddhist monk. He is immolating himself on a
main intersection in Saigon, Vietnam on June 11, 1963 to protest the
rule of Ngo Dinh Diem, the American-backed leader of Vietnam who was
leading an anti-Buddhist campaign in southern Vietnam. This action
was witnessed and filmed by many members of the American media and
led to the end of the Diem rule in Vietnam. This photo won the 1963
Pulitzer Prize.
