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Today in History: Nhu’s forces raid Buddhist pagodas, hundreds killed

8/21/2026

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Summary

Story summary

On the night of 21 August 1963, ARVN Special Forces under Colonel Lê Quang Tung, acting on Ngô Dình Nhu’s orders, stormed Buddhist temples across South Vietnam, most notably Saigon’s Xá Loi Pagoda. The raids arrested over 1,400 monks and left hundreds dead, intensifying opposition to Diem’s Catholic-biased regime.

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Story summary

On the night of 21 August 1963, ARVN Special Forces under Colonel Lê Quang Tung, acting on Ngô Dình Nhu’s orders, stormed Buddhist temples across South Vietnam, most notably Saigon’s Xá Loi Pagoda. The raids arrested over 1,400 monks and left hundreds dead, intensifying opposition to Diem’s Catholic-biased regime.