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derivative filename/jpeg
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363-06230 to 363-06240.pdf
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Digital Object Identifier
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363-06230 to 363-06240
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Title
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Article about the peace movement in South Vietnam
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Description
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Original title: "peace", Article draft about the left-wing peace movement threatening the governmental stability of Nguyễn Văn Thiệu, for the Christian Science Monitor
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AI Usage Disclosure
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Draft transcripts were automatically generated via Google Document AI and are currently under review. Please report significant errors to Archives & Special Collections at archives@unl.edu.
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Transcript
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2020 606
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peaco 1 (normass/deepe)
SAIGON, DECEMBER 17-A loosely-knit peace movement is carefully being
woven here, which has the potential of violently ripping pera apart the
political fabric enshrouding the 14-month-old elected government of
Pren dont Reayon Van Thien
If the peace movement begins snowballing with mass popular support
and violent political upheavals and turbulence in Saigon and other major
South Vietnamese-oitied cities, it could give a shol whole new shape to the
war and to the peace in South Vietnam-tilting both distinctly in favor
of the Communists.
more reuter
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20 20 sag
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peace 2 (normass/deepe)
the peace
And, depending on the rapidity of developments here,
mofement could force an agonizing decision on either the outgoing Johnson
Administration or the incomcing Nixon Administration in Washington-the
decision of whether to continue backing the Thieu government,
it must repress pro-peace demonstrators.
even if
President Lyndon Johnson
the
has encouraged the Thieu government to develop through so-called
Gnc constitutional processes and democratic elections--and has supported
the growth of that government with American money and bad blood;
Communists have attempted through the use of military force to overthrow
and vow they will continue trying to do so; in between
these two extremes a dynamic peace movement might tilt the internal
the government,
balance of power,
is
The issue however, are more complex than a clear-cut war versus
5/
Will DEVELOP.
the issues seem to be what kind of peace
peace controversy;
more precisely,
one favoring the pro-Communist side or one favoring the anti-Comm Communist
side in the future in South Vietnam.
==more reuter
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peace 3 (normass/deepe)
The short-range objective of the peace movement is to be appeal for
and to wage street dim demonstrations for, if necessary an immediate
ceasefire to the war in South Vietnam; a ceasefire is often des confused
In this immediate objective, the peace movement would rather
closely parallel current American policy aims in Paris. But, if the
with peace.
South Vietnamese government
represses the peace movement in an attempt to
maintain law and order, then the more strategic, Tangerang FIND EXtreme
objective of the movement migjt might swerve towards the overthrow
of the Thieu government.
the movement would serve
In this case,
Communist ends and would be similar in form to what the Communists
have the
been calling
call "the general uprising" A/TheB Communists
for the overthrow of the/Thieu government and the formation of a "peace
government" in Saigon. This short-lived transitional "peace government"
would then form a "coalition government" with the Communist-ed led
National Liberation Front, according to the Communist plan.
== x more reuter
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peace 4 (normass/deepe)
Thus far, the leadership of the peace movement contains a hodge-podge
of various dovish elements. $ South Vietnam's second largest labor
union has already passed a resolution appealing for an immediate ceasefire
and an end to the war. One labor leader is among the peace organizers,
SRIKES AND OTROUBLES
and a series of labor reader readeeles might
reliable sources report,
Become
be a form of struggling for peace.
leaders,
Severse
Several prominent nationalist
are
some including some known as pro-French neutralists,
is also known to be
also known to be lending their political support and brains to the
movement. One prominent Roman Catholic priest, from the segment
minority segment known as "progressive Catholics",
involved, as well as friends and close associates of Ten Dzu,
the runner-up to Thieu during the Presidential election last year.
Contact
trường Đình
was later sentenced to prison for publicly advocating ties between
the Saigon government and the Viet Cong.
==more reuter
Dzu
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peace 5 (normass/deepe)
Political
But, Gelinly certainly the most significant power element
involved includes the left-wing Buddhist monks and laity, which have
BLOC.
successfuly sparked the overthrow of several Saigon regimes in the past
Press
Buddhists have already been organizing "movements
five years.
to struggle for peace"A-one of these is for the general South
Vietnamese population, including persons of all religious groups
and social classes. The second is the movement for youur called
"movement for youth to struggle for peace," generally appealing to persons
less than thirty years old and the third is specifically organized
for university students and high school pupils.
more reuter
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peace 6 (normass/deepe)
Since the South Vietnamese people have endured tremendous sufferings
from the eight-year-old war here, peace has a dream-like attraction to
the population in general and i especially for the Vietnamese youth
to
who are the ones most often drafted to do the bitter fighting.
other
Some
tu students and draft-age youth have for some time expressed opposition to
Some are bitterly anti-American;
the war in Vietnam.
Vocally
Voon
anti-government;
many are
some are known to be Viet Cong sympathizers or activities
activists.
Currently,
Buddhist monks and professors who teach in Buddhist-
operated high schools are organizing their students for peace demonstrations
Reliable
م.
in the streets, if necessary Other Buddhist monks and
prominent lay followers or sympathetic politicians have already held a
series of seminars to discuss the prospects of peace and have elected
armn chairmen of peace committees to plan out their campaign.
==more reuter
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peace 7 (normass/deepe)
Delta,
Reliable sources report that in Mekong Delta heavily populated Mekong
Buddhist monks and laymen have organized a series of religious
celebrations to distribute sacred relics-which is also a first step
for pulling together the doment dormant and une incohesive Buddhist hierarchy
there. Tam Budmaxmom
more reuter
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zo zo sag
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peace 8 (normass/deepe)
While the issue of peace is a highly explosive political commodity
here, the organizers of the movement are careful to avoid advocating
any political platforms which would label them as pro-Communist,
pro-government or anti-government.
However, it is considered extremely
significant here that the Buddhist leadership has rejected an offer
by the Thieu government to name the any prominent supporters to be
CABINET
appointed as ministers in the oft-rumored upcoming government re-shuffle.
Reliable sources report that the Thieu government made the offer
as a means to allay Buddhist dovish discontent, to dampen any t
indirect Buddhist allegations about Thieu being a Catholic,
and to take
the ata steam out of a peace push, which government officials have
been publicly predicting. But, the Buddhist leadership "squarely and
cooperate with the Thieu
flatly answered it would not cooperat
Because it is A WAR GOVERNment"
one reliable source reported.
government
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zcze sag
Jy nnm
peace 9 (normass/deepe)
And while the peace movement organizers are careful to avoid
backing any particular nationalist personalities, informed sources
Race
report they dovish elements are secretly maneuvering their support BeHD.
General
General Duong Van Minh as an alternative to the Thieu government.
Minh a popular Southerner, lead the first ceup Vietnam's first coup
d'etat, in which the Buddhist i militant left-wing Buddhists, the Vietnamese
armed forces,
the Americans--and some sp suspect the Communists-&
coalesced to overthrow Roman Catholic President Ngo Dinh Diem.
often called "Big Minh" because of his stat physical stature
overthrown by another military group on and was charged with
being "pro-neutralist and pro-French." Minh has been exiled in Bangkok
was later
for the past four years, but returned to Vietnam in early October this
year after, American officials here heavily pressured the Thieu government
Permit it.
to
more reuter
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zcze sag
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peace 10 (normass/deepe)
Rather than a direct frontal attack against the x Thieu government,
however, the peace movement
could easily develop into an indirect
flanking assault against the elected government. Since peace demonstrations
if they developm would be held in government-held areas,
rather
than in the Comt insecure Communist-held areas zones, any urban turbulence
would de divert the government's attention away from the war in the
countryside,
away on
which has currently turned drama
ring the Communis Commenfet
are currently doing badly.
where the Communists
==more reuter
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Zo zo sag
Jy nnm
peace 11 (normass/deepe)
For the past several months, the Thieu government has been issuing
sharp warnings to the Vietnamese political leaders and population to avoid
up.gmbingmbh rocking the boatro internal boat on the issue of peace;
and during the inthe last few weeks the two-house legislature has
anthoxannexbamambinomranby passed a "state of war"
resolutiong
which grants the goverh executive branch of the government, the autheit
AuthoRUTARAN HAND,
authority to rule with an even more iron
In case the left-wing peace organizers do initiate, urban disturbances,
REPE
RESSIVE
the government can be expected to take sharp) counter-action.
In the
the fight for peace
event of this crucial political confrontation,
may be as turbulent-and perhaps as bluty bloody--as the war itself.
(Thanks for zeepager idea. 'Yes, I think eye'd like to do it--
but I'll think about the format and give you my ideas on it later.
so I certainly
The wedding bells are not until February in Nebraska,
hope to have it finished by the then--hopefully, before I leave Vietnam.
This peace piece is rather important and we'll have to watch the
political situation here carefully.
Regards Bev).
end reuter
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Date
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1967, Dec. 17
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Subject
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Vietnam War, 1961-1975; Vietnam (Republic)--Politics and government; Peace; Peace movements; Anti-war demonstrations; Nguyễn, Văn Thiệu, 1923-2001
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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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B11, F4
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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
