As epic as that act of defiance was, there are other classic examples that are spun from the same material as Tank Man’s story. The amazing acts of defiance listed below are veritable legends and, as such, deserve their own rightful place in history.

 

10Captured US Crewmen Flipped Off Their North Korean Captors

 

If you’re an enemy captured by the North Koreans, chances are you will be brutalized. That is exactly what happened in January 1968 when North Koreans captured the USS Pueblo and imprisoned its crewmen for almost a year. During their captivity, the men had to endure inhumane living conditions coupled with torture and forced indoctrinations. They also became unwilling propaganda tools and regularly appeared in photos as proof of North Korea’s superiority and benevolence.

 

Luckily, the men discovered a clever way to undermine all that propaganda. Upon finding out that the North Koreans didn’t understand the meaning of the middle finger, the men began showing the gesture during their photo shoots, explaining to their clueless captors that it was merely a good luck sign with Hawaiian origins. This went on for quite a while; after the North Koreans found out, they severely beat the men for a full week. Following the men’s release, the US did its own version of flipping North Korea off by retracting an earlier apology.