But who actually photographed “the little girl with napalm”? | EUROtoday

On May 20, 2025

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ILya of the images that enter historical past. There are others that change the world. The little woman in napalm is of this final class. An picture devoid of any artifice, a unprecedented depend. Who does nothing greater than exhibiting younger youngsters, together with a very bare younger woman, howling victims and grimacing of the napalm strikes brought on by the clashes between the Viet Cong and the South Vietnamese forces.

Taken on June 8, 1972, this picture the place troopers additionally appeared, within the collective creativeness, the image of the disastrous penalties of the Vietnam War and essentially the most excruciating abuses that have been in a position to happen. She had helped to vary the gaze of public opinion on this battle. It owes it to the previous photographer of the Associated Press Nick UT. At least, it was believed thus far.

Read too These photographs of martyrs who’ve turned the world the wrong way upFriday, May 16, the celebrated World Press Photo competitors introduced that he now not thought of Nick UT because the writer of this emblematic shot (whose official identify is “the terror of war”), which he had additionally appointed World Press Photo of the 12 months in 1973. Joumana El Zein Khoury, government director, explains that “in theThe complex cases, recognize doubt, putting events in their historical context and understanding the different strata of the story can be just as important as asserting a definitive truth ”.

A rather overwhelming relationship

In this case, doubt was born after the documentary The Strangerfrom Bao Nguyen, released at the end of January. He defends the theory that Nick UT is not the author of photography. World Press Photo had then diligent his own investigation on this subject. His conclusion was the subject of a report. Sixteen people were identified on site, including photographers, television teams and press reporters.

In the report, World Press Photo explains, in support, that “the outcomes counsel that Nghe was in all probability closerly and spatially nearer to the second and the place of the picture”. According to the analysis, Nick UT was located more behind the scene, when he appears for the first time on the film after taking the photo.

Read too Terrorism: these images that we want to hide “The reconstruction of index means that it was extremely unbelievable that he might have taken the picture, run over 60 meters, and are available again calmly, all in a quick time period,” he explained, even if Associated Press disputes the 60 meters. “They declare that the displacement is believable, particularly given the shortcomings within the chronology and the story of út regarding its repositioning. »»

A 3rd photographer?

In addition, World Press Photo evokes the conclusions of Associated Press regarding using a Pentax machine, which might correspond extra to the tools of Nghe slightly than Nick UT, which has lengthy described its use of two Leica along with two Nikon.

Finally, the function of the Vietnamese army photographer Huỳnh CHING Phúc, identified for having supplied pictures to press companies, is talked about. “Phúc has been incorrectly recognized as being prior to now and seems in video sequences in a closest place, in time and area, from the approximate viewpoint of the well-known {photograph}. This data which introduces a 3rd believable risk. »»

Read too “Outrages”: behind the scenes of a tense taking pictures between Sean Penn and Michael J. FoxBut World Press Photo offers no closing response. “An interruption within the filmed sequences makes it unimaginable to know the precise timing. The reality stays that lengths has moved between completely different positions in a fashion not captured by the obtainable sequences, “it is mentioned, considering the trip as” unbelievable, however not unimaginable “. “Without continuous recording, the question remains open. »»

Associated Press also in doubt

But this semi-awu acts still acts as a deflagration, Nick UT having been invited for a long time to discuss this photo and having received for this one a Pulitzer prize. World Press Photo explains, however, that the photography “stays undisputed” and that the awarded price remains awarded for this photograph. “It is feasible that the writer of the pictures isn’t absolutely confirmed,” said the independent organization.

“In a time marked by disinformation, polarization, manipulation of media and the erosion of public confidence, re -examining our method to paternity, proof and moral duty will not be solely related, however important,” defends the association. As for Associated Press, she announced in early May that she would continue to credit Nick UT for the photo, while conceding that her own investigation had raised “necessary questions, to which we could by no means be capable of reply”.

Read too Vietnam war scars revealed by artificial intelligence “We discovered that it’s unimaginable to show precisely what occurred that day, on the street or on the workplace over 50 years in the past,” said AP in a statement on Friday, May 16. In a message published on Facebook in February, Nick Ut had insisted that the image was his own. Many messages of support have flocked in recent days.

One day “proof”?

To uncover

The kangaroo of the day

Answer

David Burnett, a American photojournalist current through the bombing, for instance clearly criticized the documentary and the choice of the World Press Photo, which he described as “cabal” as “any new level of absence of relevance for what was once a powerful, honest tutor and photojournalism arbitrator”.

Read too From Vietnam to Hamas, the teachings to be realized from the Nineteen Sixties usually are not those you supposeKim Phuc Phan Thi, the well-known “Napalm little girl”, has not expressed himself on the topic, not more than the opposite photographers talked about. World Press made the choice so as to add a brand new textual content to pictures, which talks in regards to the suspension of the allocation of the picture and the truth that the opposite photographers may also be talked about. “The suspension of the allocation of paternity is maintained till confirmed in any other case. This “proof of the contrary”, for a a number of a long time previous occasion, are more likely to happen sooner or later?

https://www.lepoint.fr/monde/mais-qui-a-vraiment-photographie-la-petite-fille-au-napalm-19-05-2025-2590000_24.php