Madame Nhu, wife of Ngo Dinh Nhu, was the First Lady of South Vietnam and was known for which policy stance?

• A. Pro-Buddhist
• B. Neutral
• C. Fervent anti-Buddhist
• D. Anti-Catholic

Answer: (C)

Madame Nhu is remembered for advocating a hardline, anti-Buddhist approach within the South Vietnamese government. As the sister-in-law and close adviser to Ngo Dinh Nhu, she embodied and promoted the regime’s policy of privileging Catholics in a predominantly Buddhist country. This meant backing police and security crackdowns on Buddhist protests, supporting measures that suppressed Buddhist religious activities, and publicly criticizing the Buddhist movement. Her stance helped fuel the Buddhist crisis of 1963, highlighting how political power intertwined with religious favoritism and repression.