Wikipedia:Today's featured article/June 3, 2013

The Huế chemical attacks occurred on June 3, 1963, when soldiers of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam poured liquid chemicals from tear gas grenades onto praying Buddhists in Huế, South Vietnam (location of attacks pictured). The Buddhists were protesting against religious discrimination by the regime of President Ngo Dinh Diem, a Roman Catholic. The attacks caused 67 people to be hospitalised for skin blistering and respiratory ailments, and led the United States to threaten privately to withdraw support for Diem. The protests were part of a Buddhist campaign for religious equality after nine people were killed while defying a ban on flying the Buddhist flag. An inquiry determined that the chemical used failed to vaporise as it should have done, exonerating the soldiers from charges that they had used poison or mustard gas. However, Diem had already been forced to appoint a panel of three cabinet ministers to meet with Buddhist leaders for negotiations regarding religious equality. The talks led to the signing of the Joint Communique, but the policy changes it provided were not implemented and widespread protests continued, leading to the assassination of Diem in a military coup. (Full article...)

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