eisenhower letter to ngo dinh diem

TT Some of these materials first appeared in earlier National Security Archive E-books and are added here to provide the larger context of events. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 2008, pp. Conscription of Vietnamese peasants for service in World War I (1916) [6] CIA Saigon cable 1385, October 3, 1963, ibid., p. 354. More than on earlier occasions, he recorded, Diem talked largely to himself. The Saigon potentate defended his stance in the Buddhist crisis, and defended his brothers Nhu and Thuc, the archbishop of Hue, whose antics had touched off the crisis. That was the climate in which ARVN General Tran Thien Khiem asked CIA for a meeting. Here we present Roger Hilsmans record of that meeting from State Department files (Document 24). Kennedy, John F. Kennedy to Ngo Dinh Diem. As . President Dwight Eisenhower: Letter to Ngo Dinh Diem (October 23, 1954) 241 National Security Action Memorandum No. Ngo Dinh Diem explains why he rejects national elections (July 1955) Ambassador Frederick Nolting that he would make no such move against the Buddhists, Harriman and Ball were no longer sure of Diems intentions. TT After a September lull, the coup plotters in Saigon began to strengthen in early October. 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. Primary Source. President Eisenhower: Letter to Ngo Dinh Diem, October 23, 1954 - Sites An Australian press report on the Tet offensive (February 1968) 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. Ho Chi Minh recalls his conversion to Leninism (1967) Modern History Sourcebook, Fordham University Center New Light in a Dark Corner: Evidence on the Diem Coup in South Vietnam a de facto rule and political ideology which they abhor, are being fulfilled. Attorney General Kennedy said he did not think a coup made sense in terms of U.S. policy objectives, while Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara echoed concern about the effect a coup could have on war progress. While Diem had promised outgoing U.S. to maintain in the event such aid were supplied. According to recollections by DCI John McCone, made in the course of interviews conducted by the Church Committee in 1975, he met with President John F. Kennedy and Attorney General Robert Kennedy on or around October 5 after Conein reported that Big Minh discussed a possible assassination plan. Minh identified the principal plotters, assured the CIA man a coup would take place in the near future, and outlined several possible coup options. LBJ Library: Bromley K. Smith Papers, b. A US intelligence briefing on the situation in Vietnam (August 1974) Bromley Smith again took notes of another meeting held that afternoon. Diem Betrayed - Anti-Diem Propaganda leaflets - Psywarrior 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. The US Congress Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (August 1964) If you would like to contribute or suggest a document for inclusion here, please, Vietnam War memory quiz events 1946-1964, Vietnam War memory quiz events 1965-1975, Vietnam War memory quiz terms and concepts (I), Vietnam War memory quiz terms and concepts (II), Edict of Emperor Minh Mang against Christians in Vietnam (1833), The suicide note of Hanoi governor Hoang Dieu (1882), Augustine Heard, an American traveller, reports on Indochina (1886), Anonymous poem about French oppression in Vietnam (1900), Phan Boi Chau on Vietnams awakening (1914), Conscription of Vietnamese peasants for service in World War I (1916), Ho Chi Minh seeks Vietnamese independence in Paris (1919), Ho Chi Minh condemns French imperialism (1920), Ho Chi Minh on founding the Inodchinese Communist Party (1930), A report into French atrocities in Vietnam (1933), Ho Chi Minh recalls his conversion to Leninism (1967), Ho Chi Minh calls for unity against the French (February 1930), Viet Minh call to arms against the Japanese (March 1945), Ho Chi Minhs declaration of independence (September 1945), The US recognises self-governing Vietnam (February 1950), Final declaration of the Geneva Conference on Indochina (July 1954), Pham Van Dong on Geneva, Vietnamese independence (July 1954), The White Houses response to the Geneva declaration (July 1954), Eisenhowers 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), US security briefings on Ngo Dinh Diem and his regime (1958-1960), Ngo Dinh Diem decrees the death sentence (May 1959), The Caravelle Manifesto criticises Diem and his regime (April 1960), Eisenhower praises the progress in South Vietnam (October 1960), John F. Kennedys inauguration speech (January 1961), John F. Kennedy addresses the UN on Vietnam (September 1961), Rusk, McNamara urge US involvement in Vietnam (November 1961), General Taylors recommendations for Vietnam (November 1961), Kennedy pledges support for Diem, South Vietnam (December 1961), Kennedy responds to a question on Vietnam (February 1962), Program of the National Liberation Front or Viet Cong (1962), A US report on the Buddhist crisis in South Vietnam (July 1963), Cable 243 discusses the removal of Ngo Dinh Diem (August 1963), McNamara and Taylors report on South Vietnam (October 1963), NSC memorandum on US policy in South Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh appeals to the American people (May 1964), The US Congress Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (August 1964), US Senate debate on the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution (August 1964), McGeorge Bundy memo on attacking North Vietnam (February 1965), Johnson justifies involvement in Vietnam (April 1965), Robert McNamara proposes increases in US troops (July 1965), A CIA report on Viet Cong weaknesses and vulnerabilities (July 1965), A US report on Soviet aid to North Vietnam (November 1965), US MACV memo on winning the Vietnam War (September 1965), Le Duan reminds agents in the South of tactics (November 1965), General Vo Nguyen Giap on why the US will lose in Vietnam (1966), Lyndon Johnson on the political aims of the Vietnam War (June 1966), A Viet Cong guerrilla tells of the Tet offensive (1968), An Australian press report on the Tet offensive (February 1968), A US reporter discusses South Vietnamese military weaknesses (1973), A US general reflects on US, North Vietnamese tactics (1984), A Viet Cong member reflects on its approach to war (1985), Robert McNamara reflects on Americas failures in Vietnam (1995), A journalist reports on the fragging of US officers (January 1972), Ridenhour letter to Congress exposing My Lai (March 1969), Quotations about the massacre at My Lai hamlet (1968), Seymour Hersh breaks the story of the My Lai killings (1969), PFC Meadlo on his role in the killings at My Lai (November 1969), Cross examination of Lieutenant William Calley (1970), Cross examination of Captain Ernest Medina (1970), Muhammad Ali explains his refusal to fight in Vietnam (March 1967), Martin Luther Kings Beyond Vietnam speech (April 1967), An American draft-dodger explains his actions (1967), Robert F. Kennedys Kansas State University speech (March 1968), John Kerry anti-war testimony to the US Senate (April 1971), Hanoi Jane Fondas broadcast from North Vietnam (August 1972), Noam Chomsky on the meaning of Vietnam (1975), Richard Nixon unveils a policy of Vietnamisation (November 1969), A broadcast by Viet Cong propagandist Hanoi Hannah (April 1970), Nixon announces deployment of US troops in Cambodia (April 1970), North Vietnamese peace proposal (June 1971), US news report on the Paris peace agreement (January 1973), Excerpts from the Paris Peace Accords (January 1973), The War Powers Act curtails the presidents authority to wage war (November 1973), A US intelligence briefing on the situation in Vietnam (August 1974), South Vietnams president Nguyen Van Thieu resigns (April 1975), The inauguration speech of Duong Van Minh (April 1975), US news report on the imminent fall of Saigon (April 1975), President Ford on Americas post-Vietnam recovery (April 1975). Bin Tnh Sng - (Hoi cm ca Trn khc Knh). The purpose of this offer is to assist The citizens of America saw this, not as an opportunity, but as a danger to their precious country. of American aid given directly to your Government can serve to assist Viet-Nam Anonymous poem about French oppression in Vietnam (1900) That was the sense of the Hilsman cable, and of the follow-up instruction sent after the August round of coup talk. 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.. own continuing efforts, will contribute effectively toward an independent No permission is granted for commercial use of the Sourcebook. [1] Thomas L. Hughes, telephone interview, September 12, 2020. University Press of Kansas, 2009 Robert McNamara reflects on Americas failures in Vietnam (1995) The former ambassador argued that no one other than Diem could keep South Vietnam together. the specific electronic form of the document is copyright. By that time Secretary McNamara and General Taylor were in Saigon on their fact-finding mission. hc t mt s tun tit (TS Lm L Trinh), Cu 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. President John F. Kennedy was more disposed,than previously understood, to support actions that might change the leadership in South Vietnam. He co-authored today's posting with Archive Fellow John Prados. National Security Archive: George McT. 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. ND c c lm Th Tng (HNT & TTN) Vn A US general reflects on US, North Vietnamese tactics (1984) Harriman again said that the U.S. would lose South Vietnam if the coup fails, which was necessary because the political situation was bound to disintegrate further under Diem. General Vo Nguyen Giap on why the US will lose in Vietnam (1966) Oval Office, August 15, 1963 (Photo: Abbie Rowe; JFK Library,AR8072-A). effective and to make a greater contribution to the welfare and stability of the Ridenhour's Confession 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. Step-by-step explanation @table of contents. It hopes that such aid, combined with your own continuing efforts, will contribute effectively toward an independent Viet-Nam endowed with a strong government. Following the Geneva Convention, President Eisenhower and the United States supported Ngo Dinh Diem. needed reforms. Phan Boi Chau on Vietnams awakening (1914) The coup would take place in a window of late October-early November. Program of the National Liberation Front or Viet Cong (1962) The IHSP is a project independent of Fordham University. o chnh m st TT Ng nh Dim (Aladin Nguyen), Phng Retrieved From http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/vietnam/psources/ps_eisenhower.html / (Original Work published oct. 23 1954). JFK Library: John Newman Papers: Notebook, August 24-31, 1963.. While in support themselves, Lodge and Harkins did not feel as though U.S. support had gone so far that the only option was to have a coup. Suite 701, Gelman Library All Rights Reserved. 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. [5] Joint Chiefs of Staff Memorandum, General Maxwell D. Taylor and Secretary Robert C. McNamara-President John F. Kennedy, October 2, 1963. US Defence pamphlet: Know Your Enemy: the Viet Cong (March 1966) President Eisenhower: Letter to Ngo Dinh Diem October 23, 1954 [At this Site] Beginning US "humanitarian" aid. Viet Cong Program, 1962 [At this Site] Charles de Gaulle: France's Attitude Toward US Policy in Vietnam 1964 [At this Site] Tonkin Gulf Incident 1964 [At Yale] [Internet Archive version here] The Tonkin Bay Resolution 1964 [At this Site] Content created by Alpha History may not be copied, republished or redistributed without our express permission. Nhu was killed along with his brother onNovember 2, 1963. I am, accordingly, instructing the American Ambassador to Viet-Nam D. inhibit the growth of radical Islam. An American draft-dodger explains his actions (1967) 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. Bi in its present hour of trial, provided that your Government is prepared How the USA got involved in Vietnam - BBC Bitesize Assassination Records Review Board release, document 157-10014-10227. The implications of the agreement concerning Viet-Nam have caused grave concern regarding the future Ed. 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 collaborators within. 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. civilians murdered in Hue City in 1968. Pham Van Dong on Geneva, Vietnamese independence (July 1954) By that I was saying that, if Diem was removed we would have not one coup . b mt c tit l sau 40 nm (T Gn), Nhng Author Luke A. Nichter found the document in the Vietnamese archives. Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. held his first meeting with South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem on August 26. Kattenburg got the impression the man had a growing neurosis. Permission is granted for electronic copying, distribution in print form for educational subversive collaborators within. 05/08/1957 ARC Identifier: 542189 Item from Record Group 342: Records of U.S. Air Force Commands, Activities, and Organizations, 1900 - 2000 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. 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. 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. Don was furious that a different, subordinate ARVN officer, talking of a different coup, had been discouraged by U.S. military group commander General Paul D. Harkins, while word of that had reached President Diem. PFC Meadlo on his role in the killings at My Lai (November 1969) If President Diem refused to jettison Nhu, then Diem would have to go as well. 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. As the fall progressed in Washington, numerous lists were drawn up of South Vietnamese leaders who could potentially replace the Diem government. Once American policymakers became aware that the coup plotters considered assassination a potential part of their plan they proceeded very carefully. That was one reason for the study missions. It contains 186,751 words in 265 pages and was updated last on March 27th, 2022. North Vietnamese peace proposal (June 1971) rule permission is granted for commercial use of the Sourcebook. The implications of the Just as Kennedy ended the August round of coup talks, State Department official Paul Kattenburg, who had known Diem for a decade, had his own experience (Document 14). JFKPapers: NSF: Country File: b. 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. August deliberations had the effect of enabling top U.S. officials to rehearse all the arguments for and against a coup, but they left Washington with its policy problemthe intractability of Saigon leaders closed off the potential for progress in Vietnam. Ng nh Dim: Ti thit min Nam (HNT & TTN), Vng The Documents - The Wars for Viet Nam - Vassar College He had no time to acclimate. 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. Ambassador to South Vietnam, Henry Cabot Lodge, August 15, 1963. Letter From Eisenhower to Ngo Dinh Diem - The Vietnam War While Lodge was still in transit to Vietnam, Diem declared martial law and his military forces raided the Buddhist pagodas that were believed to be sheltering those behind the latest anti-government protests. 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. [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. The implications of the agreement concerning Viet-Nam have caused grave concern regarding 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. Diem agreed but believes he should have enough troops of his own to carry out his own defense. President Eisenhower pledges support to South Vietnam - History On the morning of October 24, Don saw Conein at Tan Son Nhut airport. The experience of Americans in South Vietnam established that. It hopes that such aid, combined with your own continuing efforts, will contribute effectively toward an independent Viet-Nam endowed with a strong government. copy-permitted texts for introductory level classes in modern European and World history. Vietnam War: The Documents - 1 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. Diem's anti-communism attracted the Americans. University Press of Kansas, 2009 White House conversations took place without any principal figures changing their minds about the Saigon situation. 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 . If you do reduplicate the document, indicate the source. 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. The Presidents Intelligence Checklist for August 24, 1963 concluded that Nhu is believed to be behind the recent antagonism against the Buddhists and the imposition of martial law in Saigon. Harkins, a long-time friend of Lodges from their upbringing in Massachusetts and shared time in the U.S. Army, expressed regret for his remarks and said he would inform Don that his comments did not reflect official U.S. Government policy. to permit our aid to Viet-Nam to be more effective and to make a greater Even now the views of Kennedy and some of his top aides about the advisability of a coup specifically have been shrouded by an incomplete documentary record that has led scholars to focus more on the attitudes of subordinates. American History Unit 8: Quiz 3 Flashcards | Quizlet This website is created and maintained by Alpha History. Diem made conflicting claims that the Buddhists were being stirred up by communist cadres and that the crisis was entirely solved. Diem's handwritten proclamation to the Army on the day of the coup, November 1, 1963 (Document 26). CIA Director Colby described a Saigon situation that pictured the pro-regime forces as stronger than the plotters. By this juncture, 1963, that optimism had evaporated and Kennedy felt that obstructionists in Saigon were losing ground against a communist insurgency. December 11, 2009, The Last Brahmin: Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. and the Making of the Cold War File : Ngo Dinh Diem at Washington - ARC 542189.jpg Internet History Sourcebooks: Modern History - Fordham University Le Duan: The path of revolution in the South (1956) standards of performance it would be able to maintain in the event such aid were supplied. 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). The War Powers Act curtails the presidents authority to wage war (November 1973) 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. President Ngo Dinh Diem of South Vietnam Addressed a Joint Meeting of But it was too late. Please bookmark John Kerry anti-war testimony to the US Senate (April 1971) 4, White House Meetings 8/26/63-10/29/63, State Memoranda.. 4, f.: Vietnam 9/119/20/63 [II]. Xin vui lng lu bt tng nim n cc v Anh Hng ca QLVNCH Forrestal also commented, without further elaboration, that others had not been privy to the latest Lodge-JFK private communications. Among the findings from the present posting or from our several Diem E-books taken together are the following: Vietnam perplexed American leaders from Franklin D. Roosevelt on. For more information, please visit our FAQ or Terms of Use. We strive for accuracy and fairness. V Kennedy's views on removing Diem become more explicit in a tape recording of his meeting with newly-appointed Ambassador to Saigon Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr., in mid-August 1963, just before Lodge set out for Saigon. According to Lodges report of the two-hour discussion, many of the points he raised were nearly verbatim with those he discussed with Kennedy on August 15 including the importance of U.S. public opinion, the role of Madame Nhu, and the recent unrest in Saigon.

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