Oct. 10, '63
TOP SECRET
DIEM
AMBASSADOR LODGE
GEN. MINH
GEN. DON
OCCURRENCE:
Ambassador Lodge instructed the CIA not to initiate contact with General Minh or Don, but if the generals initiate contact, such contact was authorized. In the course of meetings with Minh or Don, assurances were to be given that the U.S. would not thwart a change of government or deny economic and military assistance to a new regime if it appeared capable of increasing effectiveness of the military effort.
SOURCE: Hearings, S.S.C.I., 6/20/75, Corein, Exhibit One, page 5.
STAFF: Dawson
DATE: 6/30/75
FILE:
PERSONS/ENTITIES:
LODGE, HENRY CABOT
KENNEDY, JOHN F.
MINH, GENERAL
DON, GENERAL
COLBY, WILLIAM
DATES:
Oct. 10, 1963
Oct. 9, 1963
CATEGORIES:
DIEM
OCCURRENCE:
In a 10 October 1963 entry in the Saigon station's "History of the Vietnamese generals coup" it is noted that the Ambassador instructed the CIA not to initiate contact with General Minh or Don, but the generals initiate contact, such contact were authorized. In the course of meetings with MINH or DON, assurances were to be given as specified in DIR 24328 of 9 October wherein COLBY had stated that the matter of MINH's plans be detailed clearly indicating that MINH's plans offer a high prospect of success. "While we do not wish to stimulate a coup we also do not wish to leave the impression that the U.S. would thwart a change of government or deny economic and military assistance to a new regime, if it appeared capable of increasing effectiveness in military effort..."
SOURCE: IG Report 1967 (CIA) p. 32 - 33
STAFF: DAWSON
DATE: 6/27/75