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derivative filename/jpeg
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363-05673 to 363-05679.pdf
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Digital Object Identifier
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363-05673 to 363-05679
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Title
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Article about the political power vaccumm in South Vietnam
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Description
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Original title: "The Premier And the Priests", Keever's title: "South Vietnam's New Constitution Sparks Power Play", Article for the New York Herald Tribune about the political situation in South Vietnam and speculating on whether a new Prime Minister or President will rise to power
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Transcript
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doopo
article 12 of sorios
page 1
THE PREUZER
THE PRIESTS
SAIGONA politically-conscious
Vietnamese army lieutenant,
in discussing this uncertain period botuoon governments, explained
"We x Imow that aftor three or four crisis there will appear a
dictator.
"But
"Ilo vill bo a dicatator--not for himsol? for th but for the
country.
We are waiting for the Coming of that man."
The your young lieutenant montioned "we need a Dion of
1955-56, but not a Dion of 1960," referring to formor Procidont
Ilgo Dinh Dion, who was killed during the November military
coup d'etat last year after the colebrated Buddhist affair
in which eight Buddhist non nuns and monks burned themselves
alivo.
Viet Nam is has now adopted a "ait-and "walt-and-coo"
attitude tax for bofore sooing who that non vill bo--and if ho
ovor arrivoo at all.
Whoover it may be, wit whothor he is named chief of state
or prime minister, ho will be faced with the awosomo, of not
virtually impossible task of reconciling a domands of Vietnamese
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doopo
articlo 12 of ooriou oorloo
page 2
Tronchifiod urban intellectuals and proscuro groups for more
"donocracy and froodon."
The newly-drafted Vietnamoso constitution is already a beginning
for the now government. Badly drafted Baddi Badly writton and
conceived, the constitution itself however is important, as the
young lioutonant explained "to bo the broad guidlinos and the
foundation--but the now loador must determine what kind of house
we build on the foundation."
Though
It now appears likely that the now loador will bo a
civilian--and a civilian who is not an ox-gonoral.
Pronior-Gonoral guyon Khanh, backed hoavily by the United Statos
cinco his January coup, is likely to retain a id an important
position in the in either the armed forces on the government-
barring political assassination-his plans to take off his gonoral's
stars and don civilian clothes has evidently boon blocked by
the Buddhist Boadorship. Honce, there appears to be little
chance of a Vietnamoso Polt Chung Hoo as there was in South Koron.
Whoovor the now governmont loader may bo, ho noodo tho
support, partial of not total, of three groups: the Americans,
the Azay and the "third forcos" in the political arean arena,
of which tho Buddhists aux carry the most weight.
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Coope
articlo 12 of sexies
page B
Khanh himself had the support of the Americans, the
Army and most of the third "third forcop" olomonts, but not the
Buddhists, despite their public announcements that they supportod
hin, While issuing public doclarations of support for Khanh,
their soznons in the their pagodas, their newspapers "lighting the
way" for Buddhist followers conducted an off-again, on-again
attacls against bin.
Other olomonto included in the "third foscos" are tho
Catholicis, about 10 per cent of the population, who are
considered a staunchly anti-Communiot olomont; two rural
religious sections, the Cao Dai and Hoa Hao, together about 20
per cent of the population, who are themselves frang fragnonted
in loadorship, but at least they did not actively oppose Khanh.
While the Catholics may well choco to support any government
loader who is actively anti-Communist, elements of the two
othor two rolgious sectioho, coots, of quasi-Duddhist charactor,
nay side with the Buddhists in the ovent of future anti-government
policios.
The Buddhist loadoro thonnolvos are displaying a fascinating
amount of political skill, though at this time they appear to
look: top-quality political personalities to carry out thior
their policies within the government. Prom During the past
seventeen months, both their tactics and thoir policios
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doopo
article 12
pago 4
have been "as exciting as watching a susponse movie," as one
Vietnamese intellectual explained.
Ex000
Especially during the Buddhist crisis against Dien last year,
Buddhist leaders displayed the talont of manipulating both tine
and space--thoir campaign oporated in phases, increasing tensions
to the maximum in Saigon, thon lotting it relax by moving their
compgian to the contral coastal provincos in the north, where their
movement is strongest and more easily controlled.
Their tactics this year in their "deni-coup" against Khanh
during pro-Buddhist student demonstrations in late August shoved
vaguely the same tr trend, but more diversity. While the
government vas in an unorganised crippled state aftor Khanh stopped
down from office, their campaign again poaked in the northorn provi
provinces as the "National Salvation "Poopel "People's National
Salvation Councils," orbittod within their sphere of influence
and control.
Those national councils appear to ragam bo
Dy
takon from the Communist textbook on political-soni-logal
tactics; the councils were not authorised by the government and
honce not ontirely legal, iyot the government did nothing to
stop their growth hence they were not entirely illegal.
existing in a state of quasi-legality, they were able to
coduct conduct oponly their organising sessions--which load to
student demonstrations in the provincos--but voro also able to
Sade underground when they met government resistance, as they did
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doopo
article 12
paco 5
The Buddhists loaders for months have been launching a
campaign to woo high-ranking-military officers; like the Communists,
they hope for 01898 18°conorals, or else neutrality,
If neither develop, the officer is likely to be "liquidated"--not
physically but career-vico. Their campaign horo has already been
at least partially successful. The senior gonorals jokingly call
the most pro-Buddhist officers an "Thich" (moaning Vonorable)
instead of goneral; one general described a colleague as "more
Buddhist than the bongos."
This sympathy for the Buddhists does not mean the gonorals
na prosecute 180017, but it does mean they
will be open for manipulation by the Duddhists in the political
0200. In return for this, the Buddhist pressure the government
for promotions, choice assignments, recognition to curry the
favor of important leaders.
While sono Western diplomats openly predict-or hope-
that Buddhist movement itself fragments into a pension
an atni-Communist camp and a non-Communist camp, it appears that
the movement is voll-unifod on major policy decisions. There may
be some disagreements betvoon key loaders--ospecially Buddhist
priests who are refugees from North Viet Man--who nako anti-Communist
public statements--the disagreements appear to be on pacing of their
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doopo
article 12
Page 5
campaign rather than on policy.
Sono oboorvors here are viewing the situation in Viet Nam
in torns of past devolopments in Coylong within the past docado.
Oboorvors noto that in mid-50's Bodohbot a resurgent wavo
the resurgente of Buddhion shifted the political contor of
gravity from the urban centers where Moslons, Catholics, Hindus
livod to the countrysid rural countryside which was predominantly
Buddhist..
Several years later, the prime minister Solomon Woot Ridgeway
Dias Bandaranaike, 60, was assassinated by a thirty-year-old
Duddhist monk. The monk, a practitionor of Bastorn medicino in
which herbs and massages were major methode of treatment,
ovidently opposed the prime minister's efforts to furthor tho
practice of Wostorn nodicines.
Ao the Buddhists gained political power, they wore yot
politically incapable of managing a complex economy composed of
more than rural lifo; the economic situation in in the country
deteriorated. Lator Trotskyito Communists onorged in the
government and the Buddhists themselves, according reliable
courcos, indicated that the Communists coised 2 control from
thon in cortain areas.
In Vietnam, many of the politically-acuto Buddhist
monks have out studied in Coylong; others have studiod in Indian
Buddhist centers.
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doope
article 12
Page 6
In one way,
the Duddhist novonont in Viot nam in nozo
#international" than the Vietnamoso govornmont, While the
governmont has cut diplomatic relations dth pro-neutralist
Asian countrios-primarily Buddhist-oriented countries like
Ceylon, Cambodia and Burno-the Buddhist movement imotoon
in Viet Nam considered considers that it will bo, in tine,
the cultural contor of international Buddhions.
Vietmanese Buddhists are expected to play an important
party in the international Buddhist conforence in India nost
month.
And that there are unconfirmed roports that the 1965
international conference of Buddhion will be held in Viot Ilon.
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Date
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1964
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Subject
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Vietnam, 1961-1975; Vietnam (Republic); Anti-communist movements; Military government; Dictators
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Location
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Saigon, South Vietnam
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Coordinates
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10.8231; 106.6311
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Size
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20 x 26 cm
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Container
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B187, F2
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Format
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dispatches
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Collection Number
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MS 363
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Collection Title
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Beverly Deepe Keever, Journalism Papers
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Creator
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Keever, Beverly Deepe
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Collector
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Keever, Beverly Deepe
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Copyright Information
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These images are for educational use only. To inquire about usage or publication, please contact Archives & Special Collections.
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Publisher
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Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries
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Language
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English
