Document type: PAPER-TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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176-10036-10122

JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM

IDENTIFICATION FORM

AGENCY : NARA

RECORD NUMBER : 176-10036-10122

RECORD SERIES : National Security Files

AGENCY FILE NUMBER :

ORIGINATOR : DOS

FROM : Saigon

TO : Secretary of State

TITLE : Department of State Outgoing Telegram

DATE : 8/24/1963

PAGES : 2

SUBJECTS :

DOCUMENT TYPE :

CLASSIFICATION :

RESTRICTIONS :

CURRENT STATUS :

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 9/10/2000

OPENING CRITERIA :

COMMENTS : National Security Files, Box 198: Vietnam, 8/24/1963-8/31/63. Box 2

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INCOMING TELEGRAM

WEISION

NiHaD UNDER

16K-82-13 APPEA

Department of State

SECRET

32

Action.

FE

Info

SS.

G

SP

INR

RMR

Control: 20409

Rec'd: AUGUST 24, 1963

2:05 PM

FROM: SAIGON

TO: Secretary of State

NO: 329, AUGUST 24, 11

PM

026

OPERATIONAL IMMEDIATE

ACTION DEPARTMENT 329, INFORMATION CINCPAC 212

CINCPAC FOR POLAD .

FOR HILSMAN

LIMIT DISTRIBUTION

EMBTEL 314

WE ARE REPORTING SEPARATELY CONVERSATIONS WITH VO VAN HAI

(EMBTEL 316), GENERAL KIM (EMBTEL 320), THUAN (EMBTEL 324)

AND GENERAL DON (CAS SAIGON 0265).

THESE CONVERSATIONS CONFIRM FULLY CONCLUSIONS CONTAINED REFTEL.

IN ADDITION, THEY INDICATE THAT:

A) NHU, PROBABLY WITH FULL SUPPORT OF DIEM, HAD LARGE HAND

IN PLANNING OF ACTION AGAINST BUDDHISTS, IF HE DID NOT FULLY

MASTER-MIND IT. HIS INFLUENCE HAS ALSO

BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY

INCREASED •

B) HE PROBABLY FOUND RELATIVELY FERTILE SOIL IN WHICH TO

WORK, I.E. CERTAIN OF GENERALS WERE GENUINELY WORRIED ABOUT

GVN HANDLING OF BUDDHIST SITUATION AND READY FOR DECISIVE

MILITARY ACTIONS SUCH AS MARTIAL LAW•

C) IT IS NEVERTHELESS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT REGULAR ARMY WAS NOT

REPRODUCTION FROM THIS COPY IS

SECRET

PROHIBITED UNLESS "UNCLASSIF'EN"

M: it:10: 424

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SECRET

-3- 329, AUGUST 24, 11 PM. FROM SAIGON

CUT IN FULLY ON PLANNED ACTION AGAINST PAGODAS, WHICH WAS

CARRIED OUT BY POLICE AND COLONEL TUNG'S SPECIAL FORCES. (ON

OTHER HAND, DON'S STATEMENT THAT ARMY PLANNED SIMPLY

TO RETURN BONZES TO. THEIR OWN PAGODAS IS DISINGENUOUS, IF HE.

MEANT TO DO THIS COULD BE DONE PEACEFULLY.)

D) FINALLY, AND MOST IMPORTANT, WE DO NOT RPT NOT CONCLUDE THAT

ANY OF OFFICERS WITH ACTUAL MILITARY STRENGTH IN SAIGON (DON,

DINH, TUNG) IS AT THIS POINT DISAFFECTED WITH PRESIDENT OR WITH

NHU.

WE MUST ASSUME THAT LATTER HAVE, OR MAY WELL HAVE,

STRINGS OF POWER STILL IN THEIR HANDS •

SUGGESTION HAS BEEN MADE THAT U.S. HAS ONLY TO INDICATE TO

"GENERALS" THAT IT WOULD BE HAPPY TO SEE DIEM AND/OR NHUS

GO, AND DEED WOULD BE DONE• SITUATION IS NOT SO SIMPLE, IN

OUR VIEW. SPECIFICALLY, AS INDICATED (D) ABOVE, WE HAVE NO

INFORMATION THAT OFFICERS WITH TROOPS IN SAIGON ARE

DISPOSED TO ACT IN THIS WAY. MOREOVER, THERE IS NO SHOWING THAT

MILITARY HAVE AGREED AMONG THEMSELVES ON A LEADERSHIP..

ACTION ON OUR PART IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD SEEM TO BE A

•SHOT IN THE DARK: SITUATION AT THIS TIME DOES NOT CALL FOR

THAT, IN MY JUDGMENT, AND I BELIEVE WE SHOULD BIDE OUR TIME,

CONTINUING TO WATCH SITUATION CLOSELY.

GP3

DT

LODGE

NOTE: ADVANCE DELIVERY TO S/S-O AT 2:09 PM AUGUST 24TH

SECRET

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