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derivative filename/jpeg
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363-07319 to 363-07332.pdf
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Digital Object Identifier
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363-07319 to 363-07332
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Title
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Third article on the prospects of peace in Vietnam in 1968
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Description
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Original title: "thieu", Keever's title: "Pivotal 2-Month-Old Thieu-Ky Government is Immobalized", Third of a three part article series on the prospects of peace in Vietnam in 1968, looking particularly at the South Vietnamese government perspective, 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 sag
yy-1jp
thieu 1 (normass/deepe)
(This is the last of a three-part series discussing
the prospects of peace in 1968 and the role of the Saigon government).
SAIGON, December 28-As the military conflict crescenddes
here in 1968, the newly-elected Saigon government is expected
to become the
Srucial
in political pivot point in
South Vietnam.
For the Communists, it is their main target in their
S:
expected political offensive.
For the American
the fledging government is the political pillar on which the
their military commitment rests.
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zeze sag
yy-1.jp
thiou 2 (normass/deepe)
If the Communists succeed in toppling the new government,
then they could at initiate la "peace" neg negotiations on their
formante enigm If the American-backed Saigon government
terms.
succeeds,infiffees
thon the Allies will be in a strong
negotiate position to negotiate on their terms or to wait until
the Viet Cong eventually fade away, or brace for a Chinese Communist
intervention.
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2020 888
yy-jp
thieu 3 (normass/deopo)
Hence, observers here view as critically important
the performance and effectiveness of the now-elected government
headed by President Nguyen Van Thieu.
there is very little oftests optimism
in anti-Communist circles here about the performance thus far. The
President Nguyen Van Thieu was elected in September and took off
was inaugu inaugurated on October 31 along with Vice President
Nguyen Cao Ky. Elections for the two-house legislature were held
in cikan September and October.
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2020 sag
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thieu 4 (normass/deepe)
With only two months in office, President Thieu
was hardly expected by the anti-Communist elements to sovet
solve the critical problems he inherited. Ter Tour years of
coups, domi-coups, chaos, potic prin fragmentation, inc
increasing torrents of corruption and nog nepotian, inflation
and war-tiredness were awaiting e him when he moved into the
elegant, newly constructed Presidential Palace.
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ZCZC sag
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thieu 5 (normass/deepe)
Yet, the pessimism here in anti-Communist circles, both
Vietnamese and American, rests on the impression that the government
is at a standstill, or is immobilized, and the fear is without some
radical changes it will become isolated from its own electors.
This,
in turn, would isolated the Americans.
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2020 888
yy-1jp
thiou 6 (normase/doope)
The hope of anti-Communists here was that fairly 1200 style,¬
freely-held democratic election, with a popularly-drafted constitution,
would solidify the Vietnamese nationalists behind the goverment,
and then that the government could ma reorganize the
Vietnaes Vietnamese armed forces and the
administrative apparatus.
t
This would have served" to begin solving the problems of cofrut
and indiscipline
corruption within the government and ane armed forces and then
im govern effectively in their zones and
expand expanding government on influence into the Viet Cong-
dominated areas.
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2020 888
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thieu 7- (normass/deepe)
Promises along these lines were made on Inauguration
Day in on October 31 and le elaborated upon by successive government
they we
officials on successive days, and widely published in the Vietnamese-
language press.
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2020 sag
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thieu 8 (normass/deepe)
So far, the promises have not : materialized.
The government in viewed by here as
two o
being so immobilized that one an elected legislator described
it as three separate governments, each sex watching each other.
The frictions between the President and Vice President Kygo to
prime minist are common subjects of coffee shop conversations and
Vietnamese newspaper jokes. Tux since Ky was the former prime
minister, mayn he maintains his own little hierarchy of loyal
Vow
ministers, generals and province chiefs, and the police. nd Thiou,
is attempting to expand his own hierarchy and league of followers so
that he has his own team to implement his own programs.
And, third,
the Prime Minister, Nguyen Van Loo, and his Cabinet is delegated
to bin execute the government's program, which is
somt sometimes Ky's program,
sometimes Thieu's prograhy da
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2020 808
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thieu 9 (Normass/deepe)
One Vietnamese newspaper described the Prime Minister
DIFFIC
as "a now bride who has to serve two her mothers-in-law," and
Cone Western diplomat explained, "It's not that Ky and Thieu are
fighting each other anymore--they just ignore each other.
two hierarchies negate or cancel out each other."
Their Respretive
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thieu 10 (normass/deepe)
The tensions
between Thieu and Ky
xom re
reflected in such trivia as their two hierarchies squabbling about the
offices in the new Presidential Palace to the most substantive
matters of policy as a recent training seminar for on province
chiofa and their staffs. The 30-day course was first scheduled
For December 4 as an the first government drive to
train 39 new province chiefs and in 15 old ones as a means
to wooding out inofficiency and corruption in the countryside.
But, the Vietnamese Army generals who run the countryside rofused
to allow the province chiefs to leave. onam So, the course was
postponed to December 28th.
Moro Reuter
યુકેના સિદ્ધ
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2020 80g.
yy-1jp
thieu 11 (normass/deepe)
But,
then Thieu asked to see the list of his future
province chiefs, who had been appointed by the Ky hierarchy.
became angry,
Ky
sources close to one of the governments said, and
to in unscheduled dateD
le postponed the course again
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8020 sag
yy-1.jp
thieu 12 (normass/deepe)
In another case in mid-December, Ky telephoned
to Thieu's office and became miffed when the answering secrotary
MAR
referred to him as oral
Brigadier general" instead of
"vice president" coupled with the snubbing Thieu gave him by
refusing to return the call. Ky then refused to appear I
tee for a full week at his office-in the same building
as Thieu'sand since then has spent more time ix at resort
cities than in Saigon.
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2020 sag
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thieu 13 (normass/deepe)
Those
especially by
fragmentations
tensions are readily reflected in the provinces,
mgexton four corps commanders
who run the war and the politics in the countryside.
The northernmost corps-bordering the DMZ where American Marines
have fought so hard--is governed by Lt. Gen. Hoang Xuan Lam,
who has orally requested a one-year leave of absence without pay.
The second corps ared, is governed by Lt. Gen. Vinh Lot, commonly
the Prince whom the Saigon government attempted to
relieve from his military duties--but he refused to leave.
And, in Saigon, the mm Vietnamese general
running the whole 750,000-man armed forces,
General Cao Van Vion,
has no verbally informed both Thieu and Ky he would like
to give up his policy position./ Viet Vien is not only head
of the armed forces, but is also has also been apointe appointed
LEAD
to head the government's anti-corruption committee inhimman for
the military ranks. His departure would is viewed here as
indicating his frustration first at getting the armed forces reosgai
reorganized as well as his inability to move ahead on the anti-
corruption drive. And, his departure would delay these moves
even more.
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Sozo sag
yy-ljp
thieu 14 (normass/deepe)
tommorrow.
(Hank: I'm going on field trip with President Thieu
trip is newsy and exclusive enough,
If
may I cable it?
week then,
I'll plan on not repeat not cabling next
Regards Bev).
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Date
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1967, Dec. 28
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Subject
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Vietnam War, 1961-1975; Peace treaties; Strategy; Vietnam (Republic)--Politics and government; Nguy??n, Cao K?; 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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B7, F5
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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
