eisenhower letter to ngo dinh diem

Kennedy reported that Lodge and Harkins said that the generals in Saigon did not seem very enthusiastic for a coup. The implication is that Mike [Forrestal] is.. A report into French atrocities in Vietnam (1933) Changing the day will navigate the page to that given day in history. 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. 24, f.: Meetings on Vietnam, August-November 1963.. and political ideology which they abhor, are being fulfilled. McCone shot back that the best line was no line. John Kerry anti-war testimony to the US Senate (April 1971) So did South Vietnamese. The purpose of this offer is to assist the Government of Viet-Nam in developing and The Archive is indebted to Dr. Roland Popp, researcher at the Swiss Military Academy ETH Zurich, for Documents 9 and 11. at home and abroad and discourage any who might wish to impose a foreign The Sourcebook is a collection of public ISBN:978-0-3002-1780-3, William Colby and the CIA: The Secret Wars of a Controversial Spymaster This text is part of the DEAR MR. PRESIDENT: I have been following with great interest the course of Instead, JFK spoke not of opposing a coup, but of not conducting one just because the New York Times was pushing italmost a repeat of what he had expressed to Lodge in their meeting 10 days earlier (Document 3). Lodge told Diem that he knew little about Vietnam but hoped to advise him on American affairs. The cycle of meetings opened on Monday, August 26, after the Hilsman cable had been sent and when the object was whether to confirm the instruction it had contained. Former Ambassador Frederick Nolting seemed to be the lone dissenting voice, arguing that Diem was the only figure who could hold South Vietnam together. It was noted that in less than three years a chaotic situation resulting from years of war had been changed into one of progress and stability. to examine with you in your capacity as Chief of Government, bow an intelligent program of Ed. [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. Kennedy became more specific when he said, The time may come, though, weve gotta just have to try to do something about Diem, and I think thats going to be an awfully critical period. While never directly speaking about a coup, Kennedy signaled that he was willing to accept regime change under certain circumstances. He had no time to acclimate. In an extraordinary series of notes made by Diem during the coup from his bunker under Gia Long Palace, discovered by Luke Nichter in November 2016 at National Archives II in Ho Chi Minh City, Diem struggled to regain control. I have been unable to find the claimed McCone quote in any contemporary record. President Eisenhower: Letter to Ngo Dinh Diem October 23, 1954 [At this Site] Beginning US "humanitarian" aid. Director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research Thomas L. Hughes made notes of White House conversations with National Security Council staff member Michael Forrestal and Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs Roger Hilsman during August 24-28, 1963, which he referred to as coup planning week. Vietnam took up most of the discussions, including criticism of Nhus explanation for the series of events that led to the pagoda raids which Forrestal said was what he wanted us to hear. They agreed that the Diem government could not survive another 12 months. A broadcast by Viet Cong propagandist Hanoi Hannah (April 1970) 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). For more information, please visit our FAQ or Terms of Use. The received history on this is that Hilsman, Harriman, and NSC staffer Michael Forrestal advocated going ahead with a coup, while other factions opposed it. Gi nh Mnh (T Gn - Si Gn Nh), Bn Diem was Catholic, and in 1945 the communists in Vietnam had imprisoned him and then exiled him to Chiang Kai-shek's China. I am glad that the United States is able to assist in this humanitarian effort. Some of these materials first appeared in earlier National Security Archive E-books and are added here to provide the larger context of events. Together, these materials offer comprehensive documentation on the Kennedy administrations August coup talk. ISBN:978-0-7006-1634-3, The Ghosts of Langley: Into the CIA's Heart of Darkness @table of contents. Nhu ordered that ARVN soldiers be instructed to open fire on any foreigners involved in provocative acts., American officials differed on who might follow Diem and Nhu in leading Saigon. Newly arrived U.S. JFK Papers: Kennedy Tapes, Tape/Conversation 104/A-40/004, Audio recording of President John F. Kennedy conversation with U.S. Noam Chomsky on the meaning of Vietnam (1975), Richard Nixon unveils a policy of Vietnamisation (November 1969) Duong Van Minh Known popularly as "Big Minh," Duong led the South Vietnamese army under prime minister Ngo Dinh Diem. John F. Kennedy addresses the UN on Vietnam (September 1961) Hoa Tng Nh (Trng Ph Th) A US report on Soviet aid to North Vietnam (November 1965), US MACV memo on winning the Vietnam War (September 1965) Letter From Eisenhower to Ngo Dinh Diem - The Vietnam War A Letter From Eisenhower to Ngo Dinh Diem October 23, 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. For more information please refer to our Terms of Use. President Eisenhower then reminded Diem that his territory is protected by SEATO. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! He represented the Pagoda Raids as some sort of victory for Diem, absolved Nhu of responsibility for them, pictured Diem as a man of integrity who had tried to carry out all the promises he had made to the United States, and framed Vietnamese Buddhism as manipulated by Cambodia. There was still time to pull back. Tng Thng Diem said that the Buddhist uprising had been resolved. The CIA learned of a talk he had had with ARVN commanders in the Saigon area where Nhu asserted that a cutoff of foreign aid would not be a problem because South Vietnam had enough foreign currency reserves to continue for 20 years. An Australian press report on the Tet offensive (February 1968) 05/09/2018 12:04 AM EDT. JFK Library: John Newman Papers, Notebook, August 24-31, 1963.. ISBN: 978-0-7006-1690-9, Vietnam: The History of an Unwinnable War, 1945-1975 Desperate to save himself, amid the coup fighting, President Diem drafted a proclamation ordering the army to reject all but his own orders and summoning help from loyal forces outside Saigon (Document 26). Robert F. Kennedys Kansas State University speech (March 1968) Communist Your recent requests for aid to assist in the formidable project of the movement of There were more contacts with the Vietnamese generals. One day later, Ambassador Lodge received the infamous DepTel 243, the Hilsman cable (2003 E-book, Document 2; E-book 302, Document 1). North Vietnamese peace proposal (June 1971) 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. Nhu thought it would take involvement by the United States to seek an end to the present crisis. Compare to Documents 18 and 19, and the audioclip in the E-book of November 5, 2003. PFC Meadlo on his role in the killings at My Lai (November 1969) Primary Source. So he pledged support to an emerging leaderNgo Dinh Diema devout Catholic and fervent anti-French, anti-Communist nationalist. 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. On November 1 we have the PICL which shows the coup underway (Document 25). Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. met with President John F. Kennedy alone in the Oval Office for his farewell meeting prior to leaving for Vietnam. The Presidents Intelligence Checklist for the morning of November 2 led with the deaths of Diem and Nhu in the wake of what appeared to have been a successful coup. Anyone can read what you share. Permission is granted for electronic copying, distribution in print form for educational While the details of their deaths were inconclusive, the mood in Saigon was jubilant. nhng n anh ln (Nguyn Tng Phong), Phn contribute effectively toward an independent Viet-Nam endowed with a strong government. By this juncture, 1963, that optimism had evaporated and Kennedy felt that obstructionists in Saigon were losing ground against a communist insurgency. [1] Thomas L. Hughes, telephone interview, September 12, 2020. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. Ambassador to South Vietnam, Henry Cabot Lodge, August 15, 1963. In a follow-up meeting the next day, another briefing by William Colby summarized the scene in Saigon. the institutional owner, and is not liable as the result of any legal action. These lists frequently overlooked Vice President Nguyen Ngoc Tho, who would ordinarily have been Diems constitutional successor. He co-authored today's posting with Archive Fellow John Prados. A US intelligence briefing on the situation in Vietnam (August 1974) Your recent requests for aid to assist b mt c tit l sau 40 nm (T Gn), Nhng The South Vietnamese demands for American support became more insistent in the second half of August, 1963, and the posting presented the National Security Council (NSC) and State Department records of a series of White House meetings and other U.S. deliberations over a coup in Saigon. On the morning of October 24, Don saw Conein at Tan Son Nhut airport. 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. We do not reproduce this here because we presented it in both the previous electronic briefings on this subject. In reviewing the different ways to achieve a change in government, assassination, Minh said, was the easiest plan to accomplish although he disavowed any political ambitions himself. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Learn more on our privacy and legal page. Bi Hilsman dominated the discussion, with Taylor doubting whether Saigon could get along without Diem, and McNamara sought assurances on four points. Ng nh Dim: Th thch u tin (HNT & TTN), TT The US Congress Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (August 1964) On this day in 1957, Ngo Dinh Diem, president of South Vietnam, addressed a joint meeting of Congress during a two-week visit to the United States. nh Dim The coup would take place in a window of late October-early November. [3] At the same time Lodge was involved in a spat with the CIA over changing its station chief in Saigon. Government of Viet-Nam. Compare this with Document 11 here, and with Items 9 (audio), 10 and 11 in E-book 302. Flying from Hawaii on President Dwight Eisenhower's private plane, Columbine III, and greeted at National Airport by the President, Diem received full military honors including a 21-gun salute. Here we add Krulaks records on the other meetings (Documents 9, 11) and Bromley Smiths handwritten notes, from which he derived the records we had previously posted (Documents 10, 12). Despite promising to establish a free, Western-style democratic republic, Diem's leadership was far from democratic. CIA electronic reading room; declassified July 24, 2015. As . Eisenhower made it clear to Diem that U.S. aid to his government during. 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. At this late date Bobby Kennedy still opposed the coup and Maxwell Taylor sided with him, while other officials looked ahead to the composition of a future Saigon government, or focused on tactics or the balance of forces on the coup and palace sides. Letter from President Eisenhower to Ngo Dinh Diem, President of the Council of Ministers of Vietnam, October 23, 1954. When, that May, Ngo Dinh Diems government got into a political confrontation with Vietnamese Buddhists, American frustration increased. Robert McNamara reflects on Americas failures in Vietnam (1995) Kennedy responds to a question on Vietnam (February 1962) in its present hour of trial, provided that your Government is prepared Viet Minh call to arms against the Japanese (March 1945) Le Duan: The path of revolution in the South (1956) FRUS, IV, pp. The Government of the United States expects that this aid The quote has been used in virtually every account of the Diem coup written since that time. Government Printing Office 1991). vn hai cu tng Khim v Xun If you do reduplicate the document, indicate the source. Phan Boi Chau on Vietnams awakening (1914) 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. Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. National Security Archive: George McT. Author Luke A. Nichter found the document in the Vietnamese archives. Lodge began with a summary of his conversation the night before with Than Thi Nam Tran, wife of Vietnamese Ambassador to the U.S. Tran Van Chuong, and mother of Madame Nhu. Tng Thng Ng 328 (April 6, 1965) 242 Robert McNamara, Secretary of Defense: Excerpt from Memorandum for President Lyndon Johnson (April 21, 1965) 244 Ho Chi Minn: Letter to Lyndon Johnson (February 15, 1967) 245 Ngo Dinh Diem explains why he rejects national elections (July 1955) I am glad that the United States is able to assist in this humanitarian effort. 204, f.: Vietnam: Subjects: Top Secret Cables (Tab C) 10/3-10/27/63.. ngh sao v C TT Ng nh Dim? Nhng 4, White House Meetings 8/26/63-10/29/63, State Memoranda.. 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). purposes and personal use. A US general reflects on US, North Vietnamese tactics (1984) National Defense University: Maxwell D. Taylor Papers, Vietnam, Chapter XXIII, T-172-68. In our 2003 and 2009 postings, and the 2013 update, the story of what Kennedy and his officials actually decided about the Saigon coup in August was at the heart of our inquiry. Reprinted from The Department of State Bulletin (November 15, 1954), pp. He actually reached Saigon two days after their conversation (August 23, Washington date). Eisenhower's Letter of Support to Ngo Dinh Diem, 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. While the forces at the disposal of the coup plotters remained inferior to those commanded by Diem and Nhu, if the U.S. were to back a coup attempt it was important that it was successful. Washington, DC, November 1, 2020 President 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. I am, accordingly, instructing the American Ambassador to Viet-Nam to examine Please visit and sign our November 15, 1954, pp.735-736. Suite 701, Gelman Library Ministers of Vietnam, October 23, 1954. By that time Secretary McNamara and General Taylor were in Saigon on their fact-finding mission. 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. Ho Chi Minh condemns French imperialism (1920) civilians murdered in Hue City in 1968. [5] Joint Chiefs of Staff Memorandum, General Maxwell D. Taylor and Secretary Robert C. McNamara-President John F. Kennedy, October 2, 1963. Since then, however, some officers turned against the movement once the political aims of some Buddhist leaders became more apparent, blaming the Diem government for being ineffective in dealing with the problem. In Krulaks record of the same meeting (Document10), figures like Robert McNamara, George Ball, Averell Harriman were more forceful figures with the latter most going so far as to say that the U.S. will lose South Vietnam if there is not a successful coup to topple the Diem government. [5] But almost simultaneously in Saigon, the CIA electrified Washington when operative Lucien Conein ran into General Tran Van Don at the airport and the two held a meeting that night where the ARVN officer affirmed that the generals now had a specific plan, and Don got Conein to agree to meet the top plotter several days later. JFK Library: John Newman Papers: Notebook, August 24-31, 1963.. McCone said he discouraged Kennedy from supporting a coup unless a suitable replacement for Diem was identified. Permission is One opposition faction centered on former Ambassador Nolting. That was the climate in which ARVN General Tran Thien Khiem asked CIA for a meeting. They also sought to provide economic support to South Vietnam to bring needed reform to the area and . The coup against Diem has been a much-debated passage in the history of the American war in Vietnam. This amounted much more to a quest for more information on Saigon conditions than an assault against a purported pro-coup faction. US Defence pamphlet: Know Your Enemy: the Viet Cong (March 1966) 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. 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. Lodge had an active role in disentangling one of the most important obstacles to the coup when the South Vietnamese were moving into position. Ho Chi Minhs declaration of independence (September 1945) Ngo Dinh Diem head of the South Vietnamese government Khrushchev Russian premier backed The Central Intelligence Agency ______ the Bay of Pigs invasion of Castro's Cuba. JFKL: Roger Hilsman Papers, b. ND c c lm Th Tng (HNT & TTN) Tng - Bn c n cn (T Gn) Cht ca TT Ng nh Dim (Aladin Nguyen), Cuc Site Concept and Design: Paul Halsall created 26 Jan 1996: latest revision 3 Mayl 2023 [CV], created 26 Jan 1996: latest revision 3 Mayl 2023 [, Internet The inauguration speech of Duong Van Minh (April 1975) 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. 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. undertaking needed reforms. Although the IHSP seeks to follow all applicable copyright law, Fordham University is not Diem agreed but believes he should have enough troops of his own to carry out his own defense. Tucked away in Roger Hilsmans papers, a portion of which were deposited later at the Lyndon Johnson Presidential Library, was a CIA-created timetable of Agency contacts with South Vietnamese generals from August 23 through October 23. Vice PresidentJohnson,Ngo Dinh Diem,and Ambassador Frederick Nolting in South Vietnam's Presidential Palace in 1961(Wikipedia). On August 27 Ambassador Nolting took center stage. Fax: 202/994-7005Contact by email. 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. By that I was saying that, if Diem was removed we would have not one coup . Rather than revisit all of that debate, here we want to touch on a few points, presenting nuances in the form of the Thomas Hughes notes (Document 6) and meetings with Diem and Nhu that were taking place within this timeframe (Documents 8, 14, 15), amplifying the evidence.

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