Latest news with #NapalmGirl
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First Post
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- First Post
History Today: How the haunting image of ‘Napalm Girl' was taken during Vietnam War
On June 8, 1972, the photograph of a naked, frightened child running from a napalm attack during the Vietnam War was taken. The girl in the image, later recognised globally as the 'Napalm Girl', was Phan Thi Kim Phuc. The photo went on to become one of the most iconic anti-war images of the 20th century. Also on this day in 1948, Air India operated its first international flight, connecting Mumbai to London read more The child at the centre of the image, later known worldwide as the 'Napalm Girl,' is Phan Thi Kim Phuc. AFP/File Photo On June 8, 1972, a powerful photograph was taken that later became one of the most well-known anti-war images of the 20th century. The image, officially named 'The Terror of War,' is better remembered by the nickname 'Napalm Girl,' referring to the nine-year-old girl at the centre, seen running naked and severely burned. Also on this day in 1949, George Orwell's novel 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' was released. Its character 'Big Brother,' a symbol of constant surveillance and strict government control, became a lasting reference in political conversations around the world. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Further, Air India launched its first international flight on this day in 1948. The journey was from Mumbai to London. If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers' ongoing series, History Today, is your one-stop destination to explore key events. Let's take a look at these events: 'Napalm Girl' photo was clicked A haunting photograph of children running from a napalm strike became one of the most powerful images not only of the Vietnam War, but of the entire 20th century. It was on this day in 1972 that the picture of a terrified, naked child fleeing a napalm attack during the war was taken. The photograph, shot on June 8 near the village of Trang Bang, showed the horror and chaos of a conflict that, by some estimates, killed over a million civilians. The child at the centre of the image, later known worldwide as the ' Napalm Girl ,' is Phan Thi Kim Phuc. Now 59, she lives in Canada and has served as a Unesco Goodwill Ambassador since 1994, advocating for children impacted by war. On the day the image was captured, South Vietnamese troops were trying to retake Trang Bang from communist forces. After days of clashes, the South Vietnamese air force sent Skyraider planes to bomb what they believed were enemy targets. But civilians, including Kim Phuc and her family, were still inside a nearby Buddhist temple. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD When napalm bombs were dropped, panic spread. Kim Phuc, her clothes burning, tore them off and ran towards Route 1. Associated Press (AP) Photographer Nick Ut and other journalists were already waiting near the village, expecting fresh fighting. The photo quickly became a powerful reminder of the war's toll on civilians and helped spark global protests against the conflict. George Orwell's 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' was released On this day in 1949, George Orwell's 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' was published as a powerful warning about the dangers of totalitarian rule. The novel left a strong mark on readers with its bleak view of a future where citizens are watched constantly, and free thought is crushed by state control. Concepts like Big Brother and the Thought Police are now widely used to describe threats to privacy and personal freedom. 'Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.' George Orwell's dystopian masterpiece Nineteen Eighty Four was published #onthisday in 1949, but did you know it was nearly titled The Last Man in Europe? — Penguin Books UK (@PenguinUKBooks) June 8, 2019 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Orwell wrote the book after reflecting on the rise of both Nazism and Stalinism. The story paints a grim picture of a society where thinking differently leads to torture, constant surveillance is the norm, and government propaganda overrides truth. It brought Orwell lasting fame, with its portrayal of a world where language is manipulated and dissent is punished, serving as a lasting reminder of the dangers of unchecked power. When Air India's first international flight took off On this day in 1948, Air India launched its first international flight from Mumbai (then Bombay) to London, with stops in Cairo and Geneva. The flight departed on June 8 and reached London on June 10, carrying 35 passengers. Among them were JRD Tata and Nawab Amir Ali Khan of Jamnagar. Air India's first international flight from Mumbai. Image: Air India The journey was flown by Captain KR Guzdar in a 40-seater Lockheed Martin L-749 Constellation aircraft. The plane was named Malabar Princess. Though Air India already had domestic flying experience, international operations required extra planning. Special staff were appointed, new teams were hired, and offices were opened in Cairo, Geneva, and London to support the route. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This Day, That Year 632: Prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam and the Muslim community, died in Medina. 1867: Franz Joseph was crowned King of Hungary. 1936: The Indian State Broadcasting Service was officially renamed All India Radio. 2002: Serena Williams won her first French Open title by defeating her sister Venus Williams in the final. 2009: The United Nations observed World Oceans Day for the first time.
Toronto Star
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Toronto Star
‘Napalm Girl' says she has ‘no doubt' who took famous photo amid controversy
It is one of history's most famous photos, an indelible image of fear and helplessness in a long, brutal war. At its centre is a naked nine-year-old-girl, her clothes and skin burned by napalm, her arms outstretched. Her name is Kim Phuc. She is better known as the 'Napalm Girl.' The photo, officially 'The Terror of War,' won a Pulitzer Prize, was named the World Press Photo of the Year in 1973 and is seen as galvanizing anti-war protests that led to the end of the Vietnam War. Nearly 53 years later, it is under fire as a new documentary alleges the photo was not taken by Associated Press photographer Nick Ut, but a Vietnamese freelancer.
Boston Globe
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
The real legacy of ‘Napalm Girl'
Advertisement To their credit, both AP and World Press Photo undertook Get The Gavel A weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter by columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr. Enter Email Sign Up ''Napalm Girl' has become embroidered with media myths — false, dubious, or improbable tales about and/or propagated by the news media,' W. Joseph Campbell wrote in his eye-opening 2016 book, ' Advertisement The photo of the children running from their village is in the same category. Ever since 'Napalm Girl' first appeared, multiple distortions and exaggerations have attached to it. The most pernicious was that the children in the picture had been attacked by Americans. In fact, as contemporaneous news accounts made clear, the napalming of Trang Bàng was a tragic case of friendly fire by South Vietnam. For example, Yet the horror depicted in the photo has Campbell cites other instances of the claim, which keeps recurring. In a story mentioning the photograph as recently as January, Campbell punctures other myths about 'Napalm Girl.' One is that the picture exerted such emotional power that it galvanized American public opinion against the war. Another is that its appearance sped up the US withdrawal from Vietnam. Advertisement Not so. Claims that 'Napalm Girl' stirred Americans to oppose the war have been made again and again. Journalism professor Samuel Freedman's assertion that the 'searing image played no small part in deepening opposition in the United States to the war' is one of many assembled in Campbell's book. But a majority of Americans had turned against the war long before June 1972. As before 'Napalm Girl,' 61 percent of respondents said they opposed the war. That number remained largely unchanged until the war was over. No evidence has ever shown that the photograph had a measurable effect on public opinion. Nor is there any evidence that it shortened the war, another claim that has been made many times — including by Ut, who has told interviewers that the picture 'stopped the war in Vietnam.' In reality, the United States began The tragedy of Trang Bàng was real. The suffering in that photograph was real. But the myth that the image changed history is not. 'Napalm Girl' remains unforgettable — not for the influence it wielded but for the agony it captured. In the end, its true legacy is not about the power of journalism but about the cruelty of war. Advertisement Jeff Jacoby can be reached at
LeMonde
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- LeMonde
World Press Photo Executive Director Joumana El Zein Khoury: 'The legend surrounding the Napalm Girl photo is being challenged'
In January, the film The Stringer, shown at the Sundance Festival in the United States, sparked controversy by claiming that one of the world's most famous photographs, The Terror of War – better known as Napalm Girl – had been wrongly credited to Nick Ut of the Associated Press (AP) when it was actually taken by another Vietnamese photographer, Nguyen Thanh Nghe. Since then, AP has published its own investigation and decided to maintain credit to Ut. However, World Press Photo, which runs a prestigious annual photojournalism competition and awarded the image in 1973, took a different path: It no longer attributes the image to Ut, though it has not reassigned credit to another photographer. The organization's executive director, Joumana El Zein Khoury, explained the reasoning behind the decision. Why did World Press Photo feel the need to take a position on the 'Napalm Girl' photograph? Our organization has existed for 70 years, and we take questions of transparency and accuracy very seriously. When doubts arise about a prize-winning photo, we have a process in place. So, when the documentary The Stringer was shown in January at the Sundance Festival, we conducted our own investigation. We waited for the AP to release its own findings before going public. And we found that there were valid questions surrounding this photo. We decided to keep the 1973 prize for the photograph, but have suspended the attribution until further evidence emerges.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
World Press Photo suspends credit for ‘Napalm Girl' image
[Source] World Press Photo has suspended the credit of Associated Press photographer Nick Ut for the iconic Vietnam War photograph commonly known as 'Napalm Girl,' citing unresolved questions about its authorship. The decision follows renewed scrutiny raised by a recent documentary that challenges Ut's long-standing attribution. The 1972 image, officially titled 'The Terror of War,' shows 9-year-old Phan Thi Kim Phuc running naked on a road after a napalm bombing. It won the Pulitzer Prize and World Press Photo of the Year in 1973 and became one of the most searing symbols of the Vietnam War. Authorship in doubt The controversy stems from 'The Stringer,' a 2025 documentary directed by Bao Nguyen. The film presents testimonies and visual analysis suggesting that freelance photographers Nguyen Thanh Nghe or Huynh Cong Phuc may have captured the image, not Ut. Nghe claims he sold the photo to the AP for $20 but never received formal credit. Trending on NextShark: In response, World Press Photo launched an internal investigation and reviewed archival materials, camera angles and witness statements. The organization concluded that the doubts were substantial enough to suspend Ut's credit, though it has not reassigned authorship due to lack of definitive evidence. AP stands by Ut Ut has denied the claims, saying he remembers taking the photo and helping Phan Thi Kim Phuc get medical care. His attorney, James Hornstein, criticized World Press Photo's decision, telling The Art Newspaper that Ut 'cannot fathom why the World Press Photo Foundation would rescind his rightful award 52 years after making it.' In a statement to the Associated Press, Hornstein added, 'It seems they had already made up their mind to punish Nick Ut from the start.' Trending on NextShark: The AP has conducted two reviews of its own, reaffirming Ut's credit. In a statement, the AP said it found no compelling evidence to override decades of attribution, but acknowledged that the passage of time limits further verification. Phan Thi Kim Phuc has also spoken in support of Ut. 'He took the picture, and he saved my life,' she told The Guardian. 'Without him, I would have died.' Historical stakes Trending on NextShark: While the image's historical significance remains uncontested, the suspension reflects ongoing debates about ownership, credit and accuracy in journalism. World Press Photo said it will maintain the suspended status until new evidence clearly confirms or refutes Ut's authorship. This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter — a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Trending on NextShark: Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what we're building, consider becoming a paid member — your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Subscribe here now! Trending on NextShark: Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today!
