PERSONS/ENTITIES: GEN. DON AMBASSADOR LODGE CONEIN

DATES: 10/28/63

CATEGORIES: DIEM TOP SECRET

OCCURRENCE: General Don approached Ambassador Lodge at 3:00 a.m. Lodge was one member of the group of 3. President Diem met Ambassador Lodge for their drive to Saigon and insisted on coming in speaking with Ambassador Lodge walked in his ...

SOURCE: Hearings, S.S.C.I., 6/20/75, Conein, Exhibit One, FILE: P 0 0 2, 7 - C

STAFF: Dawson DATE: 6/30/75

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PERSONS/ENTITIES: SMITH, DAVID MCCONE HARKINS, GENERAL HELMS TRUHEART, WILLIAM COLBY KENNEDY, ROBERT KENNEDY, JOHN F.

DATES: Oct. 29, 1963

CATEGORIES: TOP SECRET

OCCURRENCE: In a Presidential meeting on Vietnam on October 29, 1963 with MCCONE, HELMS, AND COLBY in attendance. The following record by HELMS and COLBY shows that: it was suggested that in the Ambassador's absence, HARKINS, TRUHEART, and DAVID SMITH act as a committee to direct a coup operation. MCCONE countered with the view that SMITH should not be involved in such a policy making function, although he would be in a position to provide technical advice to HARKINS and TRUHEART as well as carry out their instructions in the operations field. The President stated that if the forces in Saigon were not clearly in favor of the coup we should discourage its launching. The Attorney General felt the U.S. was risking too much based on flimsy evidence. The DCI stated his view that even a successful coup would create a period of interregnum, confusion which might only be solved by a second or third coup.

SOURCE: STAFF: