LBJ Admits Assassination of Diem and Talks of the Consequences

With all the current U.S. inspired government overthrows in the Middle East, the U.S. operatives planning and executing these overthrows should keep in mind that replacement governments do not always match up to expectations.

Here's LBJ admitting to the US role in the assassination of South Vietnam's Ngo Dinh Diem and explaining the aftermath.



Upon learning of Diệm's ouster and assassination, Hồ Chí Minh reportedly stated:

I can scarcely believe the Americans would be so stupid.

The North Vietnamese Politburo in a report stated:

The consequences of the 1 November coup d'état will be contrary to the calculations of the U.S. imperialists ... Diệm was one of the strongest individuals resisting the people and Communism. Everything that could be done in an attempt to crush the revolution was carried out by Diệm. Diệm was one of the most competent lackeys of the U.S. imperialists ... Among the anti-Communists in South Vietnam or exiled in other countries, no one has sufficient political assets and abilities to cause others to obey. Therefore, the lackey administration cannot be stabilized. The coup d'état on 1 November 1963 will not be the last.

Hồ Chí Minh's analysis was correct.

Before dawn on January 30, 1964, General Nguyen Khanh ousted the military junta led by General Duong Van Minh from the leadership of South Vietnam. It came less than three months after Minh's junta had themselves come to power in the coup against Diem.

This was followed on February 19, 1965 with some units of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam commanded by General Lam Van Phat and Colonel Pham Ngoc Thao launching a coup against  Khanh. Their aim was to install General Tran Thien Khiem, a Khanh rival who had been sent to Washington DC as Ambassador to the United States to prevent him from seizing power. The attempted coup reached a stalemate, and although the trio did not take power, a group of officers led by General Nguyen Chanh Thi and Air Marshal Nguyen Cao Ky, and hostile to both the plot and to Khanh himself, were able to force a leadership change and take control themselves with the support of American officials.