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derivative filename/jpeg
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363-02247 to 363-02253.pdf
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Digital Object Identifier
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363-02247 to 363-02253
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Title
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Article on Trần Lệ Xuân''s statements on Buddhist monks
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Description
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Original title: "madame." Article by Keever on Trần Lệ Xuân's (Madame Nhu's) statements that Buddhist monks were "Reds in yellow robes"
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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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deepo
madame-1
march 4, 1965
SAICON--Yes, Madame Ngo Dinh Nhu was probably right about the
Buddhists.
But no one will over know for sure.
When the lovely spitfire sister-in-law of the former President
Ngo Dinh Diem labelled the militant Buddhist monks as "Reds in yellow
robes," she caused an internal and international fuf furor.
And hor attacks indirectly aided the monics-cho wore later to
spark the overthrow of the go regime 15 month ago by creating for
them an already already unpopular target they nooded symbolically
to attack. Her vitrolio remarks also offooted to sabotage the
attempts to comprin compromise between the Buddhist militants
and her brother-in-law the President.
(More)
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deepe
Badano-2
Observers here believe no one will ever really know if the
Buddhist politico-priests are "Reds in yellow robes." They would
never carry a Communist Party card. Vietnamese politics are so
obscure that a renking Buddhit Buddhist loader would never
at this time be caught in a meeting with Communist endres.
"And even if they are Communist agents," one ex-Communist
explaited, "they will selflessly saorifice themselves and fode into
oblivion once the Communists have taken overa
But anti-Communist elements in Vietnom instead view the Buddhis t
allitants "as playing the game of the Communists" because of their
past actions, their present p91 policy and their "anarach "anarchistio"
tendencies which have shf shrivelled the effectiveness of every
government since the fall of Diem. And without an effective
compoting govemment, Communist political subversion and organisation
have mushroomed in size and strength.
m1118yed the
From this viewpoint, the Buddhist
bigchanted an
important turning point. They have apparently entered a new pah
phase.
These are the new developments since the February bombings of
North Viet Nams
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deepo
madame-3
march 4, 1965
one---Except for the Viet Cong Communists,
the militant Buddhists
organization is the most important power grouping in the Vietnam.
potential power now appears to overh overshadow that of both the
Their
a country's government and armed forces, which is has become
since the February 19th coup attempt more divided and less politically
Neither the armed forces nor the government
oriented.
appears prepared to resist the growing o
militants.
two-During the Diem regime,
strength of the Buddhist
the militant Buidhists were
a clandestine, exam semi-underground political dissident
movomont, which used religious persecution as their battlecry. Since the
fall of Dion, however, they have become a political movement of protest,
which successfully neutralized or spearheaded the toppling of each
of the successive governments. Now, as of mid-February, they have
become part of the government of Prime Minister Phan Huy Quat--and have
Ac
Brod a sizeable chunk of that government.
three at least momentarily, the Buddhists appear to have ended
their period of protests against the government-since they have become
DEVELOP
part of that government. However, they now have p
now issue-peace.
Their ag current appeals for peace may in the future
Would
become protests for peace, which will again increase the Buddhist power
over the masses.
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deepe
madame--4
Pres the
four-for the past 35 months since the fall of Diom, the
Buddhists have been a third government-operating between the
Saigon government and the dus
political
backbone of the Viet Cong guarrillas, the National Liberation Front
for South Viet Nam. In an importa nt position paper, a leading
monit said the militant Buddhist movement was against both the
Communists and the anti-Gocumet Communists, which he described as the
Catholics and the Americans. It was clear from their policy that their
immediate enemy was the Sa igan government-and not the Viet Cong.
Now, however, that they have beame become pudden s
substantia 1 part of the Saigon government, it would appear to
be the time for them to declare war on the Communists.
But, they have not. Instead in mid-February they launched
their peace offensive, wich which places them in the position
of rising above both the other states-the Saigon government and the
Viet Conge
It is reliably predicted that in the coming months, the Buddhists
will move into the position of being the links--or "the hyphon" botwoon
between the Saigon government and the Viet Cong, thus paving the
way for the coalition government which the Viet Cong have always
wanted as part of their noutralization of the country.
(More)
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deepe
mada me---5
five-The Buddhist cone concept of peace is openly, if not
deliberately, ambiguous.
One pz Buddhist priest gives one concent
concept to Western and looal correspondents, only to have it
denied, contradicted or clarified by another priest. More significant
than the official statements given to the press in the commons which
the Buddhist priests are giving to the masses, which is their
source of power. Frankly, no one really knows what they say
The foreign embassies, the prime minister's office,
the secret police, the Catholion the foreign press are eneb
known to send a number of "reporters" to attend the Buddhist
in their sermons.
sermon.
Each comes back book with a different version and a different
to boar
emphasis. "Sach hears what he wants,"
one journalist explained.
This Buddhist peace offensive is now the talle of Saigon.
It is openly considered now that the Buddhists are pro-neutralists-
thatth their version of peace is closer to the Viet Cong's peace
than it is to the peace of the free world position. And while
Saigonese now clearly see the true face of the Buddhists as being
present neutralist, they see no cohesive anti-Communist element
which is capable of stopping their peace offensive.
Since mid-February the clear trend has been developed to
dra wa sharper line between the axig military war and the
political subversive war.
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deepo
medano-6
Since the February 19th coup and dismissal of Lt. Con. Nouyon
Thanh as Commander in Chief, the armed forces, which was a supergovernment,
has less political power. The armed forces council since the beginning
of the miton Buddhist pa peace offensive have takon
tough anti-Communist stand against the anod Viet Cong guerrillas, but
have virtually ignored ignored the subversive element. The newly-formed
government of Prime Minister Phan Huy Quat has taken a tough stand against
both the Viet Cong guerrilla and the Communist subversive. But the
government has sko
imi deliberately chosen to ignore
the Buddhists as a partial subversive movement. During his first
press conference, the Prime Minister himself interrupted ono
translation, took it upon himself to become the spokesman of the Buddhist
position and carefully explained that the Buddhists wore for
"nationalistic" sort of peace. This "soft" stand on the Buddhist
inne is one of the most important developments since the departure
© If Con Nguyen Khanh
Since the fall of Bion, the rise of the militant Buddhist movement
has been the most important sign single development in the turbulent
15 months of Vietnam's history. Following the toppling of Diem, the
Buddhists held a mass conference in which they re-grouped their strength,
unified their position and mapped out their future strategy. They had
already launched a whispering campaign against the first Prime Minister
the Nguyen Ngoc Tho of the first militar military junta.
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deepe
mada me--7
However, before the Buddhist politico-priests could marshall
their forces, Maj. Gen. Nguyen Khanh seized power as prime minister.
Throughout the year, the armed power of the armed penis forces skirted
the me growing mass power of the pro-neutralist Buddhists. Throughout
the year, restl mostly in behind-scenes intrigue the two contenders for
power were Lt. Gen. Nowen Thanhe American imbassy during Diem regime.
the Buddhist politico-priest
who had spent 64 days
named Thich Tri Quang, In August, Khanh and Tri quang collided; the
priest won momentarily as pro-Buddhist demonstrations toppled Khanh
from the Residen Presidency. But Khanh, with brilliant maneuvering,
quickly re-established himself as the strongman-until February 20
whon pro--Buddhist generals allied themselves with pro-Catholic generals
to vote for his dismissal.
Thanh than lori Viet Don How the trong mom in Vietnam in
Thich Tri Quang and his subordinates.
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Date
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1965, Mar. 4
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Subject
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Vietnam, 1961-1975; Trần Lệ Xuân, 1924-2011; Demonstrations; Protest movements; Buddhists--Political activity
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Location
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Saigon, South Vietnam
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Coordinates
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10.8231; 106.6297
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Size
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20 x 25 cm
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Container
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B4, F9
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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
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Language
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English
