Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-11-01
WET NAM
WET NAM
Anti-Diem Fighting
Breaks Out in Saigon
Continued From Page Al

around Mr.. Diem's yellow
stucco palace. Marines in battle
dress surrounded the national
police headquarters in Saigon
and took over outlying police
stations. apparently without
resistance.
The fighting erupted at Sal
CONS luncheon and siesta hour.
A half dozen high flying
planes drew fire from antiair-
craft batteries near navy head
quarters and from troops in
the streets, but there was no
confirmation that any were
hit. There was scattered firing
throughout the city.
The joint United States mill
tary advisory group in Bangkok
said United States military
officials in Saigon reported by
phone that the Wet Namese
Army and Marines were behind
the coup attempt. The Wet
Namese Navy was supposed to
be problem.
United States officials in
Saigon told the Bangkok office
they had heard nothing to back
reports that Mr.. Diem had
been deposed and his brother
killed.
General Calls for Calm
Wet Namese Embassy sources
in Bangkok said Radio Saigon
had been seized by Marines
and was broadcasting antigov-
eminent messages. They said
another radio broadcast was
heard from the central Wet
Namese city of Hue quoting a
Gen. 30 Gao Tri. identified as
commander of military forces
in that region, as calling on
his troops to remain calm.
Well-placed United States Of
ficials said the initiative was
completely Wet Namese. They
said the revolt appeared to be
well planned.
Word reaching Washington
indicated the leaders of the
uprising included Gen. Tran
Van Don, commander in chief
of South Wet Mans army, and
Gen. Mini.
In Washington, President
Kennedy summoned his top
military and diplomatic ad-
visers to the White House to
assess the situation.
United State officials in
washington called it a coup
of real proportions" that ap-
|peared to be moving fairly far,
though there still was no way
Of knowing whether it would
be successful.
A qualified source said top
military figures, though not
necessarily all of them, headed
the rebel movement.
Lodge Sees Diem
United States Ambassador
Henry Cabot Lodge, represent
ing a war ally of South Wet
Nam critical of Mr.. Diem's
strong-arm actions against
Buddhist and student opposi-
ton leaders, saw Mr.. Diem
shortly before the shooting
started.
Mr.. Lodge originally had
planned to leave Saigon yes
terday for consultations in
Washington. He disclosed
Wednesday he was postponing
his departure until Saturday.
Accompanying the Ambas-
Sador to the presidential palace
for the talk with Mr.. Diem was
Admiral Harry D. Felt, COM
mander of United States Pacific
forces, who was returning from
a meeting of the Southeast
Asia Treaty Organization at
Bangkok. Thailand.
Troops in Uprising
Exactly how the United
States-backed armed forces
were split was not Immediately
apparent, but South Korea's
Embassy reported to Seoul that
members of the 7th Marine
Division and some army troops
touched off the uprising.
The Korean report said
marines, in addition to occupy
ing the national police head
quarters, took over the govern
ment radio station, navy head
quarters and the international
telegraph office.
! The outbreak in the South