From the Political Jungle of Viet - What Khanh Says

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363-04870 and 363-04894.pdf
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363-04870 and 363-04894
Title
From the Political Jungle of Viet - What Khanh Says
Description
Article published in the New York Herald Tribune about an interview with General Khanh in which he alleges that U.S. Ambassador Maxwell Taylor backs South Vietnamese General Dương Văn Minh against him, page 1
Transcript
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From the Political Jungle of Viet
WHAT KHANH SAYS
By Beverly Deepe
A Special Correspondent
DALAT, South Viet Nam.
Min). Gen. Nguyen Khanh South Viet
Nam's self-described Prime Minister In name,
charged in an exclusive interview yesterday
that American Ambassador Maxwell D.
Taylor favored his political rival-Maj. Gen.
Duong Van Minh.
Since Gen. Khanh came to power in a
Jan. 30 coup, Washington has sworn firm
support for him in the fight against the
Communist Viet Cong guerrillas.
Yesterday, however, Gen. Khanh said:
"Taylor has sentiments for 'Big' Minh and
wants him to come to power." He said he
More on KHANH-P4
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From Khanh's Own Lips:
Taylor Favors 'Big' Minh
(Continued from page one)
himself had offered suport for Gen. Minh-
known as "Big" because he is taller and
stockier than most Vietnamese-but feared
that Gen. Minh would become "a puppet
for the neutralists."
1 Told that acting Premier Nguyen Xuan
Oanh described him Saturday as "mentally
ill," Gen. Khanh was surprised, then laughed
and said: "I am not at that stage yet."
He said his doctor had checked him and
found that "I have heart trouble. . and
high blood pressure. The engine has run and
run for six months, and now I need some
rest."
Washington officials earlier described his
condition as a bad cold. He did not appear
to have a cold.
Gen. Khanh received me for 45 minutes
in his offcial government residence in Dalat.
s mountain resort town, 150 miles northeast
of Saigon. He had come to Dalat Saturday
with his wife and five children.
Dressed in brown civilian clothes with a
maroon necktie, he spoke casually, openly
and calmly during the interview. Though a
chain-smoker ordinarily, he smoked only two
cigarettes.
He appeared weary, with purplish circles
under his eyes, but he was working at his
mahogany desk as I entered, and he said
he had still more work to do. One of his chief
aids accompanied him to Dalat.
BETRAYED
Rather than despair or defeat, Gen.
Khanh's attitude appeared to be one of dis-
illusionment with friends who "betrayed me"
and discouragement.
He said he had told Gen Minh: "If you
want to come back to power I will support
you
"I told him I'd tell my friends. 'You must
support Big Minh I told Taylor this too."
Gen Khanh said
Gen Minh was one of the leaders of the
November coup against the Ngo Dinh Diem
regime who in turn were overthrown by
Gen Khanh in January Gen Minh then
reluctantly agreed to remain as figurehead
Chief of State. but was deprived of that post
in short-lived constitutional changes that
Gen Khanh pushed through earlier this
month, temporarily making himself President.
Then, last week. Gen. Minh became one
of a ruling triumvirate of generals formed
after student demonstrations against the
new charter and bloody Buddhist-Roman
Catholic rioting The other two members
are Gen Khanh and Lt. Gen. Tran Thiên
Khiêm
Explaining his difficulties. Gen. Khanh
said "I had so many things to do. But I
do not know what the Americans-I mean
the American Embassy in Saigon) and
Washington-I do not know what they want.
During the first student strike. I was
surprised to hear the Voice of America an-
nounce that the students were against the
Khann government They were not against
my government but against the charter
constitution That's what it said on the
paper I had in my hand-they would like
to revise the charter. So I was surprised at
the VOA announcement. I talked to the
Embassy and said it was not true. Why does
VOA campaign against me? So I do not know
what the Americans have in mind
Gen Khanh described hiinself as "Prime
Minister in name" and said he thought the
American government and Ambassador Tay-
lor wanted him to continue in that capacity.
"I will not say like MacArthur. I shall
return But I am ready to When I come
back I cannot have with me some people
who betray me."
Today Gen. Tavlor flew to Dalat from
Saigon, presumably to meet with Gen.
Khanh. He planned to be absent from the
capital for only a few hours.
Until 10 days ago, observers here con-
sidered Gen. Khanh to have two sources of
power: the support of the American govern-
ment and control of the Army under his
friend. Gen. Khiem, the 39-year-old, be-
spectacled Minister of Defense.
On the general situation in Viet Nam. Gen.
Khanh said: "I am sick with the intrigue in
my country. I do not know if it's the same in
the American agencies. I am a soldier doing
my best. I do not like to stay at my desk
thinking of intrigue. I go and try to win
the war.
"When I came to power. I gave my con-
fidence to. the Dal Viet (Greater Viet Nam
political party). You've seen them now. My
right hand man in civilian affairs betrayed
me. And the military still work for them-
selves.
THE GENERALS
"You know Gen. Khiem and I were class-
mates. But when we met for two days in
Saigon (during a 48-hour debate on who
would be the new President) he's not the
same man I came to power with seven
months ago. But he's not a bad one either.
We can still work together.
"One general I gave the biggest job in the
country to ... still gives money to the
political party working for himself and of
course working against me.
"After Tonkin (the North Vietnamese
attacks on American destroyers and the
American bombing of North Viet Nam our
morale was high among our people and the
Army. I am not surprised if the VC (Com-
munist Viet Cong guerrillas) were trying to
get the situation as bad as we have now.
"The Dal Viet plan was to divide us and
put the Army against the people through
the students demonstrating in the streets.
So if I put in the Army, it's like under the
Diem regime last year but more grave
because it's not against one family or per-
sonality but against the armed forces."
He moved an ashtray, cigarette lighter and
packet of cigarettes into a triangle to il-
lustrate.
"I pulled out the Army so the people are
against the people-the Buddhists against
the Catholics-but that went to the maxi-
mum point, and now I ordered the Army
to step in."
He said he did not know how long he
would remain resting in Dalat He said he
would return to Saigon occasionally. "not to
take power but to try to solve the situation.
which is very dangerous"
"But if I'm asked again to take power,
I'll go right away," he said. He laughed and
added. "and the mental illness will go right
away, too."
RUSK NO CHANGES
From The Herald Tribune Bureau
WASHINGTON.
Secretary of State Dean Rusk said yester-
day that no basic changes have taken place
In South Viet Nam despite Gen. Khanh's
lapse in political activity and popular unrest
culminating in last week's Buddhist-Roman
Catholic rioting.
Speaking on the NBC-TV program "Meet
the Press," Mr. Rusk maintained that Gen.
Khanh will return to his post when he is
sufficiently rested-a view expressed earlier
by State Department spokesmen. He did not
predict when that would be.
Mr. Rusk said he expects Gen. Khanh, after
he resumes activity, to work toward installa-
tion of a civilian government, which Mr.
Rusk said had always been the general's goal.
In answer to a question, the Secretary of
State said he could not foresee a South Viet-
namese government which might ask the
U. S. to get out of the country. He said he
knew of no faction in South Viet Nam. re-
ligious or military, which wanted Communist
rule.
Date
1964, Aug. 31
Subject
Nguyễn, Khánh, 1927-2013; Taylor, Maxwell D. (Maxwell Davenport), 1901-1987; United States--Relations--Vietnam (Republic); Dương, Văn Minh, 1916-2001; Vietnam (Republic)--Politics and government
Location
Đà Lạt, South Vietnam
Coordinates
11.9404; 108.4583
Container
B186
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