PERSONS/ENTITIES: HARKINS, LODGE, BUNDY, DON,
DATES: 30 Oct. 1963
CATEGORIES: DIEM
TOP SECRET
OCCURRENCE: On 30 October 1963, LODGE replied to BUNDY's cable (DIR 79109) of the same date by CIA cable from Saigon (SAIG 2063): "...do not think we have the power to delay or discourage a coup. DON has made it clear many times that this is a Vietnamese affair...I believe we should continue our present position of keeping hands off but continue to monitor and press for more detailed information. CAS has been analyzing forces for some time and it is their estimate that the generals have probably figured their chances pretty closely...It does not seem sensible to have the military in charge of matter which is so profoundly political as a change of government...As to requests from the generals, they may well have need of funds at the last moment with which to buy off potential opposition. To the extent that these funds can be passed discreetly, I believe we should furnish them...If we were convinced that the coup was going to fail, we would of course do everything we could to stop it. HARKINS has read SOURCE: this and does not concur."
STAFF: R. Dawson
DATE: 29 June 1975
FILE:
PERSONS/ENTITIES: FELT, ADMIRAL CINCPAC Commander CONEIN
DATES: 31 October 1963
CATEGORIES: DIEM
OCCURRENCE: CONEIN stated that on or about October 31, 1963, FELT came to Vietnam and landed and had an interview with DIEM in the morning. p. 48
TOP SECRET
SOURCE: Hearings, SSCI, June 20, 1975, Conein
FILE:
STAFF: R. DAWSON
DATE: