1968 - The Saigon Execution: General Nguyen Ngoc Loan summarily executes Nguyen Van Lem (00:08:11)
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Execution in broad daylight caught on camera. A police captain from Saigon is seen shooting a Vietcong man in the head right on film. As the bystanders are astounded at the event they are witnessing, the man is shot dead. The film shakes the world as the world is brought face to face with the harsh realities of war. There is a greater momentum to end the hostilities quickly after the event.

Photo: photojournalist Eddie Adams

Keywords:

Vietnam Viet Cong war King Hussein Negev desert prisoners of war in Gaza Strip fatal shot General Loan Gene La Rocque Edward Miles Eddie Adams Nguyen Thi Lop Nasser Palace in Cairo UN forces Yitzhak Rabin Israeli troops combat aircraft Jerusalem bombing Orthodox Jews at the Wailing Wall death of a vietcong Saigon Nguyen Van Lem refugees USA revolution Arab demonstrators in Cairo tanks in the desert The Saigon Execution execution 1968 military parade Celebrations for the 19th Anniversary of independence dictatorship soldiers at the Wailing Wall General Nguyen Ngoc Loan

Danish :

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Estonian :

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Adams, Eddie

(photographer in 1968) , speaking English:
-  "The photo ruined two lives. The delinquent’s and the victim’s."

Lop, Nguyen Thi

(Widow of Vietcong) , speaking Vietnamese:
-  "Loan was a Vietnamese just as my husband was. He was one of us. But he took my husband on the street and shot him to death – a compatriot, he simply shot him to death. He caused so much pain for me. I do not know if I’ll ever be able to get over the death of my husband."

Adams, Eddie

(photographer in 1968) , speaking English:
-  "Supposedly Americans cut out the heart of North-Vietnamese soldiers. They decapitated people. Horrible action on both sides."

Rocque, Gene La

(Admiral of the US-Navy) , speaking English:
-  "Every Vietnamese was a potential enemy. The children, the women, young and old – everybody had decided to save his country and was ready to take every risk to kill an American soldier."

Miles, Ed

(Vietnam veteran) , speaking English:
-  "We destroyed Vietnam although we should have saved it. The terrible thing was that the Army had sent us there, as they said, to win the heart and mind of the Vietnamese people. Then we arrived and showed how we interpreted this: we burned down their villages."

Rocque, Gene La

(Admiral of the US-Navy) , speaking English:
-  "General Loan’s action showed how inhuman the Americans and the Vietnamese were. He showed that the war exceeded every human norm; it became a devilish, bloodthirsty play."

Adams, Eddie

(photographer in 1968) , speaking English:
-  "Then we read in press releases that they organised demonstrations in America using this photo."

Lop, Nguyen Thi

(Widow of Vietcong) , speaking Vietnamese:
-  "I did not know that my husband was killed, I did not want to believe it when they told me. Then I saw the photo in several American newspapers..."

Adams, Eddie

(photographer in 1968) , speaking English:
-  "His body fell to ground. The Sheriff turned to us and said: They killed many of your people – and of mine as well."

Adams, Eddie

(photographer in 1968) , speaking English:
-  "The man was caught as he came out from the building next to a pagoda. This was the best material that we had, so we followed them in the streets. Then suddenly a man appeared next to me. I was not further away from the captive than two meters. Then I saw as the man reached for his gun. "

Lop, Nguyen Thi

(Widow of Vietcong) , speaking Vietnamese:
-  "His troop wanted to retreat but they were already surrounded by soldiers. They could only escape through a river. My husband fought on to ensure the retreat of his comrades. Then he was arrested."

Miles, Ed

(Vietnam veteran) , speaking English:
-  "With the Tet attack they showed that they wanted to win the war at any price. After this we had to fight to survive."

Lop, Nguyen Thi

(Widow of Vietcong) , speaking Vietnamese:
-  "I did not know anything about my husband. He only said the he visits a course during the night and after that I did not hear anything from him."

The Tet Offensive
1st February 1968
Saigon
South Vietnam

On the last day of January, the Vietnamese pay tribute to their ancestors. Unknown to the Americans, theIr enemy celebrated the Tet New Year Festival two days early. On the 31st January 1968, the offensive began.


Photographer Eddie Adams captures a moment that will win him the Pulitzer prize. Police Chief General Nguyễn Ngọc Loan summarily executes a Vietcong prisoner, Nguyễn Văn Lém.