Complex sentence: Such an emotion-charged spectacle would have attracted thousands of spectators and placed pressure on Diem's regime to grant reforms, so the government announced a curfew and put all armed personnel on duty around the clock to "prevent VC infiltration".
Split into simpler sentences: Such an emotion charged spectacle would attract thousands of spectators and place pressure on Diem's regime to grant reforms. The government placed a curfew and put all armed personnel on around the clock duty to "prevent VC infiltration".