Article about the likelyhood of a coup d'etat against President Diệm, page A14

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363-04726.pdf
Digital Object Identifier
363-04726
Title
Article about the likelyhood of a coup d'etat against President Diệm, page A14
Description
Original title: "Troops, Secret Police Prop Diem Regime", Keever's title: "Anti-Diem Coup Doubtful Now", Article for the Washington Post about the stability of the Ngô Đình Diệm/Cần Lao (Personalist/Personalist Labor Revolutionary Party) regime in Saigon, page A14
Transcript
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- Page 1
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A 14
Tuesday, July 9, 1963
... RI
THE WASHINGTON POST
Discontent Increasing, but Coup Is Doubtful
Troops, Secret Police Prop Diem Regime
By Beverley Deepe
Special to The Washington Post
SAIGON, July 8-Despite
increasing discontent with
Viet-Nam’s
South
ruling
family, a coup d'etat seems
dedication. But what good is
a rock against a tank?"
A two-month-old Buddhist
crisis of riots, demonstrations
and one monk who burned
difficult to accomplish at this himself to death polarized
general long-standing griev-
ances against the President
and his family.
time.
The maintenance of Presi-
dent Ngo Dinh Diem and his
family in power-or top-
pling them-depends on mili-
tary officers stationed
around this capital city.
It appears almost impossi-
ble for civilian demonstra-
tions and riotous mobs to
topple the 62-year-old Presi-
dent, his brother, Ngo Dinh
Nhu, and powerful Madame
Ngo Dinh Nhu.
"This government is utter-
ly ruthless," explained one
reliable observer. "If a mob
moved toward the palace, the
government would line up
the troops and mow them
down. If 10,000 school kids
marched to the palace, they
would not make it over the
fence.
"It would be just like Hun-
They had spirit and
gary
However, to overthrow
Diem and family and then
establish another regime re-
quires gnawing dissatisfac-
tion not only throughout the
army, but also among key
units in the vicinity of Sai-
gon, the most important be-
the one
ing elements
armored
of
cavalry squadron
composed of tanks, armored
cars, M-114 armored recon-
naissance vehicles and M-113
armored personnel carriers.
Significantly, last week
Diem and his
President
brother Nhu brought to trial
19 soldiers and two civilians
led
who
the unsuccessful
1960 coup d'etat to serve as
a warning to Vietnamese
military and American poli-
cymakers.
News Analysis
Since the 1960 coup at-
tempt, Diem has built around
himself an elaborate private
army with intricate checks
among its various elements.
No major troop movements
are allowed in the country
without his approval.
Diem personally knows of-
ficers down to the rank of
lieutenant colonel; leading
generals known to be dis-
satisfied with the regime
have been assigned staff posi-
tions without command of
troops. Other generals in the
Saigon area are selected not
on their military abilities or
personal loyalties to the Pres-
ident but on their willing-
ness to remain neutral in a
coup and their refusal to co-
operate with Americans.
Unit commanders are also
watched by "political com-
elite, black-bereted Presi- country known to be over-
dential Guard, all members strength.
of which are especially
selected for their personal
loyalty to the palace. High-
est ranking American offi-
cers and officials have been
unable to discover its exact
strength, but it is thought to
contain more than 1000 men.
In 1960 coup, the Presi-
dential Guard was the only
has
been
significant unit that valiant-
ly fought for the President
until loyal troops arrived
from the provinces. Since the
1960
it
coup,
equipped with a squadron of
junior tanks, bazookas and
grenade launchers that could
counter an attack of armored
units.
The 135th Territorial Regi-
ment is the only regular
army unit with the primary
purpose of protecting the
President and key installa-
Also under the Department
of Defense are more than 100
red-capped, khaki-clad mem-
bers of the gendarmes who
patrol streets near the presi-
dential palace along with
policemen.
Saigon, with a population
of an estimated 2 million, has
one of the largest police
forces per capita of any city
in the world. Four hundred
civil disturbance policemen
on constant 24-hour alert, can
rush with machine guns to
any part of the city in five
minutes.
A secret police net checks
on the army, the regular po-
lice, anti-Diem opposition ele-
ments and on its own mem-
bers. Little is known in Sai-
gon about the secret police,
which is several distinct or-
ganizations. Two of the Presi-
missars," civilians or other tions around Saigon instead dent's
military officers.
The key unit in the Presi-
dent's private army is the
of fighting the Communist
Viet Cong guerrillas. It is
one of the few units in the
brothers-Nhu and
Ngo Dinh Can-are known to
have their own private secret
police organizations.
Date
1963, Jul. 9
Subject
Ngô, Đình Diệm, 1901-1963; Vietnam (Republic)--History--Coup d'état, 1963; Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Religious aspects--Buddhism; Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Protest movements--Vietnam (Republic); Vietnam (Republic)--Politics and government; Intelligence service
Location
Saigon, South Vietnam
Coordinates
10.8231; 106.6311
Container
B2, F3
Format
newspaper clippings
Collection Number
MS 363
Collection Title
Beverly Deepe Keever, Journalism Papers
Creator
Keever, Beverly Deepe
Copyright Information
These images are for educational use only. To inquire about usage or publication, please contact Archives & Special Collections.
Publisher
Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries
Language
English