Vietnamese citizens away from areas which are passing under a de facto I am glad aid will be met by performance on the part of the Government of Viet-Nam in undertaking The National Security Archive has participated in these debates by introducing important new evidence and interpretation. (BS Tn Tht Thin) President Eisenhower's letter to South Vietnamese leader Ngo Dinh Diem promising aid against the North, October 1954. Trn Vn Hng, Thiu Tng Phm Contrary to fears expressed at the October 29 White House meeting, when the coup began on November 1, President Diem and his forces were fairly quickly corralled in the Gia Long Palace. The George Washington University George Ball argued that Nhu in the ascendant was impossible to live with, making the coup imperative, but the questions were mooted that day when the Vietnamese generals postponed their coup plot. with great interest the course of developments in Viet-Nam, particularly JFK Papers: Kennedy Tapes, Tape/Conversation 104/A-40/004; transcription by Luke Nichter. Kennedys associates concluded early on that Ngo Dinh Nhu had to go. A Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operative was approached during the time of U.S. 4th of July festivities by South Vietnamese military officers who wanted U.S. support for a coup detat that might overthrow Diem (2003 E-book, document 1). Lodge and Kennedy met in the Oval Office on August 15 (Item 2, Document 3). I am glad that the United States is able to assist in this humanitarian effort. hc t mt s tun tit (TS Lm L Trinh), Cu Ambassador to Saigon Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. to proceed in a fashion that made clear to Diem that he needed to end nepotism and curtail the activities of his brother, Ngo Dinh Nhu, and other family members, whose efforts were impeding the counterinsurgency war then in progress. domain and copy-permitted texts for introductory level classes in modern This text is part of the Internet While a popular proposal in Washington had been to somehow separate Diem from Nhu, Hughes explained why it would be difficult to achieve that: Diem and Nhu were more inseparable than ever. Another consistent theme among American planners was that there was no clear frontrunner, and it was unclear whether the next government would be civilian or whether it would share power with the military for a time. I am glad that the United States is able to assist in this humanitarian effort. [8] This quote appears in the Church Committees interim report on Alleged Assassination Plots Involving Foreign Leaders (p. 221), as well as the note card we present here, compiled by committee staffer Rhett Dawson on June 29, 1975. for Medieval Studies. Lodge left for Saigon, planning to stop in Hawaii and Japan on his way to receive various briefings and touch base with senior U.S. officials. SAIGON, Vietnam, Oct. 24 -- In a letter to Premier Ngo Dinh Diem, President Eisenhower has expressed the hope that "indispensable reforms" would be carried out by South Vietnam in. Kennedy responds to a question on Vietnam (February 1962) Edict of Emperor Minh Mang against Christians in Vietnam (1833) Eisenhower's letter of support to Ngo Dinh Diem (October 1954) An American press report on the Binh Xuyen (April 1955) Ngo Dinh Diem explains why he rejects national elections (July 1955) Le Duan: 'The path of revolution in the South' (1956) Ngo Dinh Diem addresses a joint session of the US Congress (1957) I am TWO LETTERS TO NGO DINH DIEM EISENHOWER'S LETTER TO NGO DINH DIEM October 23, 1954 (Department of State Bulletin, November 15, 1954) Dear Mr. President; I have been following with great interest the course of developments in Vietnam, particularly since the conclusion of the conference at Geneva. Viet Minh call to arms against the Japanese (March 1945) [7] This advice outraged CIA Director McCone and Far East operations chief Colby. He had returned to consult with JFK about the coup, learned while en route that Kennedy had been killed, and instead briefed LBJ while still in his EOB office (along with Dean Rusk, Robert McNamara, and George Ball). Kennedy pledges support for Diem, South Vietnam (December 1961) For his part, Nhu also came off as more and more ominous (Document 15). Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window), Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window), Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window), Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window), Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window), Current one is: October 24. part 1, part 2, Compare this to Items 6 (audio), 7 and 8 of E-book 302, December 11, 2009. You can navigate days by using left and right arrows. While the details of their deaths were inconclusive, the mood in Saigon was jubilant. He was an extraordinary character, while he became increasingly difficult in the last few months. Nhng CIA Saigon Station Chief John Richardson met with Ngo Dinh Nhu for a conversation that focused primarily on the evolving Buddhist crisis. Anonymous poem about French oppression in Vietnam (1900) On the morning of October 5, Lucien Conein, acting as intermediary, met with Gen. Duong Van Big Minh. the source. This shows that Nhu, even when calm, as Richardson observes, obsessed with Buddhists spreading propaganda and hiding communist agents among their monks at some of the most important pagodas. Reprinted from The Department of State Bulletin (November 15, 1954), pp. Government Printing Office 1991). On the morning of October 24, Don saw Conein at Tan Son Nhut airport. Suite 701, Gelman Library this page, purposes and personal use. Some of these materials first appeared in earlier National Security Archive E-books and are added here to provide the larger context of events. There was still time to pull back. the Fordham University Center Letter from President Eisenhower to Ngo Dinh Diem, President of the Council of Ministers of Vietnam, October 23, 1954 DEAR MR. PRESIDENT: I have been following with great interest the course of developments in Viet-Nam, particularly since the conclusion of the conference at Geneva. Leader of mid- 1950 s pro-Communist revolution in French Indochina (Vietnam) against corrupt Ngo Dinh Diem regime in Saigon Gamal Abdel Nasser Egyptian nationalist president who seized British-controlled Suez Canal when economic aid negotiations among Egypt, Great Britain, and the United States dissolved in 1956 Mohammed Reza Shah Pahlavi Compare this with Document 10 here, and Items 9 (audio), 10 and 11 of E-book 302. Step-by-step explanation Dear Mr. President: I have been following with great interest the course of developments in Viet-Nam, particularly since the conclusion of the conference at Geneva. Hoa Tng Nh (Trng Ph Th) One can see the flurry of activity in August, during the first serious discussion of a coup shortly after Lodges arrival in Saigon. Nixon announces deployment of US troops in Cambodia (April 1970) After his country's . Diem's anti-communism attracted the Americans. people, so enlightened in purpose and effective in performance, that it will be respected On October 24 (Document 23) Conein met again with Don, who confirmed that Harkins had admitted his error in seeming to oppose a coup. Subscribers may view the full text of this article in its original form through TimesMachine. President Kennedy meets with newly-appointed Ambassador to South VietnamHenry Cabot Lodge. The Archive built an E-book around those audiotapes, too, starting with DepTel 243 and then permitting the reader/listener to make extensive comparisons, by pairing the White House tapes with the NSC and State Department memoranda recording those same conversations. Ngo Dinh Diem addresses a joint session of the US Congress (1957) Today, the National Security Archive is posting for the first time materials from U.S. and Vietnamese archives that open the window into this pivotal event a little bit wider. Nhu suggested that he was not a central figure in the actions undertaken against the Buddhists, although he was in support of them. Lodge warned how difficult it could be to control such an event, noting that Madame Nhus mother believed that she, along with Diem and Nhu, were all going to be assassinated., LBJ Library: Ball Papers, b.7, f.: Vietnam I (1/15/62-10/4/63.. JFK sent a succession of study groups to SaigonHuntington Sheldon of the CIA, Robert McNamara plus Maxwell Taylor, General Krulak plus Joseph Mendenhallall to report to him. Ng nh Dim: Th thch u tin (HNT & TTN) The receptions during the visit were in large part organized by the American . Nhu commented that the South Vietnamese military officers, many of whom were Buddhist themselves, started off in sympathy with the Buddhists following the uprising that occurred in Hue on May 8. At the same time, Nhu ordered soldiers to fire upon Americans and other foreigners involved in acts intended to be hostile toward South Vietnam. collaborators within. in the formidable project of the movement of several hundred thousand loyal Eisenhower wrote to South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem and promised direct assistance to his government. A broadcast by Viet Cong propagandist Hanoi Hannah (April 1970) Nguyn Vn Thiu Primary Source. Permission is granted for electronic copying, distribution in print form for educational providing web space and server support for the project. He co-authored today's posting with Archive Fellow John Prados. Ho Chi Minh on founding the Inodchinese Communist Party (1930) granted for electronic copying, distribution in print form for educational Washington, DC, November 1, 2020President John F. Kennedy was more disposed to support the removal of South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem in late 1963 than previously appeared to be the case, according to a recently released White House tape and transcript. Roger Hilsman-Michael Forrestal, Potential Kennedy-Diem Letter, September 12, 1963. The ouster of Diem in a militarycoup that would have major implications for American policy and growing involvement in the country happened 57 years ago today. be so responsive to the nationalist aspirations of its people, so enlightened The mention of assassination occurred at a key moment for the U.S. in Saigon. Eisenhower made it clear to Diem that U.S. aid to his government during Vietnams hour of trial was contingent upon his assurances of the standards of performance [he] would be able to maintain in the event such aid were supplied. Eisenhower called for land reform and a reduction of government corruption. One day later, Ambassador Lodge received the infamous DepTel 243, the Hilsman cable (2003 E-book, Document 2; E-book 302, Document 1). both at home and abroad and discourage any who might wish to impose a foreign ideology on ND c c lm Th Tng (HNT & TTN), TT At the State Department, W. Averell Harriman and George Ball agreed that Lodge ought to delay his arrival in Saigon until the situation had calmed somewhat (Document 4). It hopes that such aid, combined with your own continuing efforts, will On October 23, Don had another get-together with CIAs Conein (Document 21) where he demanded assurances on the U.S. stance and the intelligence officer was able to answer in a way that satisfied Washington guidelines. Unless otherwise indicated the specific electronic form of the document is copyright. Eisenhower sent a letter to Ngo Dinh Diem, the Prime Minister of South Vietnam, with America's plans and motives in efforts to gain the trust of a possible new American ally. Your recent requests for aid to assist in the formidable project of the movement of Other History Sourcebooks: African | East Asian | Indian | Islamic |Jewish | Lesbian and Gay | Science | Women's | Global, Letter to Ngo Dinh Diem, October 23, 1954, Letter from President Eisenhower to Ngo Dinh Diem, President of the Council of Nhu claimed that Ngo Dinh Diem himself approved the pagoda raids against the Buddhists in response to demands made by South Vietnamese army officers for Diem to deal with recent political agitation in Saigon. Nhu continued his plotting, which eventually led to a plan to launch government raids against the most important Buddhist pagodas in Saigon and Hue (Document 5). [1] The next day, INR went ahead to craft a paper on The Problem of Nhu (Document 17), where analysts cited South Vietnamese opinions that Nhu had become the dominant power in Saigon, exercising an overriding, immutable influence over Diem.. by a long and exhausting war and faced with enemies without and by their a leaflet calling for the people to rise up against the oppressor Diem; A letter to the Vietnamese Army telling them that Diem is just carrying on French colonialism; a 41-page document alleging Diem crimes against the people; and a leaflet that said "For the past eight years our land . A big issue, then and since, has been the so-called Hilsman Telegram, or, more formally, Department Telegram (DepTel) 243, which instructed U.S. Content created by Alpha History may not be copied, republished or redistributed without our express permission. These materials reveal that Lodge already held nuanced views on the situation in South Vietnam and had already met with South Vietnamese representatives in the U.S., who happened to be the parents of Ngo Dinh Nhus wife. Despite promising to establish a free, Western-style democratic republic, Diem's leadership was far from democratic. contribution to the welfare and stability of the Government of Viet-Nam. (BS Tn Tht Thin), Ngha The Diem Coup After 50 Years John F. Kennedy and South Vietnam, 1963 When, that May, Ngo Dinh Diems government got into a political confrontation with Vietnamese Buddhists, American frustration increased. of a country temporarily divided by an artificial military grouping, weakened The implications of the agreement concerning Viet-Nam have caused grave concern regarding the future of a country temporarily divided by an artificial military grouping, weakened by a long and exhausting war and faced with enemies without and by their subversive collaborations within. Technical Directorate, VN Coastal Raiders Taylor wrote a lengthy report afterwards which argued the generals had little stomach for government and had been neutralized. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. McNamara and Ball also agreed that there was much to do to prepare for a coup; once the U.S. agreed to back it, the major challenge was to see that it was successful. to permit our aid to Viet-Nam to be more effective and to make a greater Your recent requests for aid to assist in the formidable project of the movement of several hundred thousand loyal Vietnamese citizens away from areas which are passing under a de facto rule and political ideology which they abhor, are being fulfilled. The purpose of this offer is to assist the Government of Viet-Nam in developing and maintaining a strong, viable state, capable of resisting attempted subversion or aggression through military means. Anyone can read what you share. Unlike Nolting, who saw no possible candidates, the State Departments Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR) produced an extensive list (Document 16). Retrieved From http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/vietnam/psources/ps_eisenhower.html / (Original Work published oct. 23 1954). Diem and Nhu seemed to desire to present Lodge with a fait accompli regarding the Buddhists upon his arrival in Saigon. This present E-book opens (Document 1) with the record of a July 19, 1963, encounter between CIA Station Chief John Richardson and Diems brother, Ngo Dinh Nhu, who ran many of South Vietnams special services and was increasingly seen as the power behind the presidency. subversive collaborators within. Modern History Sourcebook, Fordham University Center Sign up now to learn about This Day in History straight from your inbox. Gi nh Mnh (T Gn - Si Gn Nh), CS In a follow-up meeting the next day, another briefing by William Colby summarized the scene in Saigon. Hoping that forces from the south would liberate Saigon, as had occurred during the coup attempt in 1960, Diem ordered all armed forces and paramilitary units to rise up to join me in fighting off the traitors. Diem would be killed within a matter of hours. Program of the National Liberation Front or Viet Cong (1962) Tng Thng Ng Washington, D.C., 20037, Phone: 202/994-7000 Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 2008, pp. Through September and October, even as Washington sought to make its point by considering evacuation of U.S. nationals, withdrawals of American troops, and halting CIA aid to South Vietnamese Special Forces, President Kennedy tried to understand the situation better. This primary source comes from the Collection DDE-EPRES: Eisenhower, Dwight D.: Papers as President of the United States. own continuing efforts, will contribute effectively toward an independent Hilsman dominated the discussion, with Taylor doubting whether Saigon could get along without Diem, and McNamara sought assurances on four points. disassembling Kennedy's firm but cautious action in the Cuban missile crisis resulted in the _________ of Russian missiles. Eisenhowers letter of support to Ngo Dinh Diem (October 1954) Description: U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Secretary of State John Foster Dulles (from left) greet South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem at Washington National Airport. Reprinted from The Department of State Bulletin (November 15, 1954), pp. to examine with you in your capacity as Chief of Government, bow an intelligent program of While Minh said he did not expect U.S. support for a coup, he wanted to ensure that no effort would be made to thwart a change in government. Secretary of State Dean Rusk proposed that regular meetings of the group be conducted similar to the Cuban Missile Crisis meetings of the Ex Comm. If President Diem refused to jettison Nhu, then Diem would have to go as well. Ministers of Vietnam, October 23, 1954. In 1963, he became leader of South Vietnam after a coup in which Diem. It hopes that such aid, combined with your own continuing efforts, will contribute effectively toward an independent Viet-Nam endowed with a strong government. nguyn vi C TT Ng nh Dim (Phan Thit), V [9] Document number deleted, October 28, 1963, FRUS, v. IV, p. 449. While Diem had promised outgoing U.S. The Government of the United States expects that this Years later, when the Church Committee was investigating the CIA (in 1975), McCone quoted himself telling John F. Kennedy, in precise words that he remembered very clearly, Mr. DEAR MR. PRESIDENT: I have been following with great interest the course of Lodge had an active role in disentangling one of the most important obstacles to the coup when the South Vietnamese were moving into position. Modern History Sourcebook. Cross examination of Lieutenant William Calley (1970) Excerpts from the Paris Peace Accords (January 1973) Martin Luther Kings Beyond Vietnam speech (April 1967) As . Kennedy did a lot of agreeing, letting Lodge talk, but the two concurred the press in Saigon posed a problem, JFK expressed the sense that something would have to be done about Diem, but he didnt want to be driven to that by the press, and he was not yet certain who, other than Diem, the U.S. could support in Saigon. permission is granted for commercial use of the Sourcebook. ngh sao v C TT Ng nh Dim? "I was shocked by the death of Ngo Dinh Diem. [7] CIA, Saigon cable 1447, October 5, 1963, cited in Thomas L. Ahern, CIA and the House of Ngo: Covert Action in South Vietnam, 1954-1963. University Press of Kansas, 2009 honor the ARVN Heoes. LBJ Library: Bromley K. Smith Papers, b. After a September lull, the coup plotters in Saigon began to strengthen in early October. The coup against Diem has been a much-debated passage in the history of the American war in Vietnam. The purpose of this offer is to assist the Government of Viet-Nam in developing and and to remember the thousands of since the conclusion of the conference at Geneva. with you in your capacity as Chief of Government, bow an intelligent program Among the items we present here are the audio and transcript of the president instructing his ambassador; notes taken during the key week by Thomas L. Hughes, director of the State Departments Bureau of Intelligence and Research; the handwritten notes on White House meetings by NSC staff deputy Bromley K. Smith; a wider selection of meeting notes from General Krulak; the CIA summary of meetings between its officers and the Vietnamese generals; a selection of CIA field reports, including the early October Vietnamese mention of assassination and the CIA reaction to that; and several items from the immediate period of the coup and assassination, including a desperate appeal for aid from President Diem even as the coup against him was underway. Compare this with Document 11 here, and with Items 9 (audio), 10 and 11 in E-book 302. 183-186. A Viet Cong guerrilla tells of the Tet offensive (1968) [3] At the same time Lodge was involved in a spat with the CIA over changing its station chief in Saigon. United States Ambassador Donald R. Heath delivered this letter from President Eisenhower to Ngo Dinh Diem, President of the Council of Ministers of Vietnam (Viet-Nam), on October 23, 1954. The discussion that followed is remarkable for the unanimity that had developed among nearly all of Kennedys advisors against Diem. Lodge spoke with Harkins on the afternoon on October 23. Military opponents coalesced around General Maxwell D. Taylor, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and included General Krulak; while another center of opposition included CIA Director John McCone and his responsible division chief, William E. Colby. The suicide note of Hanoi governor Hoang Dieu (1882) For more information, please visit our FAQ or Terms of Use. Your recent requests for aid to assist The Archive is indebted to Dr. Roland Popp, researcher at the Swiss Military Academy ETH Zurich, for Documents 9 and 11. That was the climate in which ARVN General Tran Thien Khiem asked CIA for a meeting. B. hinder an alliance between Iranian and Vietnamese communists. Ho Chi Minh calls for unity against the French (February 1930) For you, for President Eisenhower, and for the American people, the choice in Vietnam was whether to 'sink or swim with Ngo Dinh Diem.' A Strong Anti-Communist Leader in South Vietnam At Geneva, Ho Chi Minh agreed to stop fighting in part because he was sure he'd win an election in South Vietnam. He also wanted to see something on Lodge actually talking with Diem. Government of Viet-Nam. [8] McCone ordered Saigon station to drop the suggestion, and the next day Colby reinforced that order with another (Document 19). Diem's handwritten proclamation to the Army on the day of the coup, November 1, 1963 (Document 26). Modern History Sourcebook. The contact, and the meeting which followed, tipped the Americans to Nhus maneuvers to create channels to Hanoi, reminded them that coup plans still existed, and informed CIA that the generals were awaiting Diems response to their demands for cabinet-level positions in the South Vietnamese government (Document 13).[4]. [6] Document 18 is the record of Coneins encounter with General Duong Van Minh on October 5. The Internet In this letter, President Eisenhower offered South Vietnamese President Diem financial support and encouraged him to make "needed reforms" to broaden his government and make it more representative.

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