Document type: PAPER-TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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176-10036-10151

JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM

IDENTIFICATION FORM

AGENCY : NARA

RECORD NUMBER : 176-10036-10151

RECORD SERIES : National Security Files

AGENCY FILE NUMBER

ORIGINATOR : CIA

FROM :

TO :

TITLE : CIA Information Report

DATE : 10/3/1963

PAGES : 3

SUBJECTS :

DOCUMENT TYPE :

CLASSIFICATION :

RESTRICTIONS :

CURRENT STATUS :

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 9/10/2000

OPENING CRITERIA :

COMMENTS : National Security Files, Box 200: Vietnam,9/22/63-10/6/63, CIA

Reports. Box 2

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160

PRESERVATION COPY

EXEMPT

Nui: 22-56

RECEIVED

WH.ASA

3

1963 OCT

SFI010

17. 23

00 ESF

DE YEKADL 72915 03/1641Z OCT

17487

, 0 0315472 ZYH

FM CIA

Bandy

TO WHITE HOUSE SITROOM PASS EXCLUSIVE FOR BUNDY

DEPT STATE (CENTRAL COMMUNICATIONS CENTER) PASS EXCLUSIVE

FOR RUSK, BALL, HARRIMAN AND HILSMAN

SSO ACSI DA (PASS EXCLUSIVE FOR MC NAMARA AND GILPATRIC.

PASS EXCLUSIVE FOR GENERAL TAYLOR AND GENERAL KRULAK)

ZEM

SECRET :

"FOLLOWING IS CAS SAIGON 1385

SECRET

EXCLUSINE

RECEIVED IN WASHINGTON AS IN 32061

1. ON 2 OCT 1963 LI COL CONEIN ACCIDENTALLY ENCOUNTERED

MAJ GEN TRAN VAN DON AT TAN SON NHUT AIRPORT. DON STATED HE HAD

BEEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE CONTACT WITH CONEIN FOR SOME TIME.

REQUESTED THAT CONEIN COME TO NHA TRANG ON NIGHT OF 2 OCT FOR

PRIVATE DISCUSSION: CONEIN WAS NONCOMMITTAL IN HIS REPLY.

2. COL CONEIN'S VISITING NHA TRANG TO TALK WITH DON WAS

APPROVED BY TRUEHEART.

3. TRUEHEART'S GUIDANCE TO CONEIN WAS THAT HE NEITHER

TO ENCOURATE NOR DISCOURAGE ANY COUP. THINKING OR ACTION, TO

ELICIT INFORMATION. ONLY AND NOT TO COMMIT THE USE TO ANY ACTION

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116

PRESERVATION COPY

16

4. CONEIN MET WITH DON IN NHA TRANG ON NIGHT OF 2 COCT FOR

APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR. NO OTHER PERSONS WERE PRESENT DURING THE

MEETING. DON MADE THE FOLLOWING POINTS:

A• DOUNG VAN MINH DESIRES TO. SEE CONEIN FOR PRIVATE CONVERSATION®

B. MEETING WITH MINH WILL TAKE PLACE 0800 HOURS 5 OCT AT

JOINI GENERAL STAFF HEADQUARTERS, SAIGON:

C. AT THAT HOUR CONEIN IS TO PRESENT HIMSELF IN UNIFORM

AT. DON'S OFFICE. COVER TOPIC OF CONVERSATION WILL BE POSSIBLE

RELOCATION OF UNITED STATES SPECIAL FORCES HEADQUARTERS. (COMMENT:

THIS IS A COVER TOPIC ONLY SUGGESTED BY GEN DON. CAS SAIGON WOULD

NOT UNDERTAKE DISCUSSION SUCH A MATTER SINCE THIS WOULD BE SOLELY

WITHIN MACV PREROGATIVES. >

Do CONEIN WILL SPEAK TO MINH ALONE.

E. GEN TON THAT DINH HAS REALIZED HE WAS PLAYED FOR A

FOOL" DURING HIS TENURE AS MILITARY GOVERNOR OF SAIGON. FOR

THIS REASON "MAY JOIN OUR SIDE."

F. GEN TRAN VAN KIM AND GEN PHAN XUAN CHIEU HAVE BEEN

GIVEN STAFF POSITIONS UNDER GEN DON ON THE JGS.

THE GENERALS (SPECIFIC PERSONALITIES NOT IDENTIFIED)

HAVE REQUESTED PRESIDENT DIEM TO ACCORD THEM POSITIONS OF MINISTER :

OF DEFENSE, MINISTER OF INTERIOR, MINISTER OF EDUCATION, MINISTER

OF CIVIC ACTION, AND THE PREFECTOR OF THE POLICE FOR SAIGON/

CHOLON. IN ADDITION, GENERALS ASKED PRESIDENT DIEM TO APPOINT A

GENERAL OFFICER MILITARY GOVERNOR SAIGON/CHOLON TO INSURE DEFENSE

OF AREA. GENERALS ARE CONVINCED DIEM HAS NO REPEAT NO INTENTION

OF MAKTNG THESE APPOTNTMENTS.

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(160

16

5. CONEIN ATTEMPTED TO ELICIT ADDITIONAL DETAILS FROM

DON WHO REFUSED ALL ATTEMPTS AT ELICITATION WITH STATEMENT "YOU

MUST TALK TO MINH. DON DID VOLUNTEER, HOWEVER, THAT GENERALS

"NOW HAVE A PLAN." DON WAS EMPHATIC WITH RESPECT TO THIS LAST

STATEMENI•

6. ,DON ALSO STATED THAT TWO DAYS PRIOR TO GEN DINH'S

FIRST PRESS CONFERENCE (29 AUG) VIETNAMESE CIVILIAN OTHERWISE

UNIDENTIFIED VISITED NGO DINH NHU, STATED THAT AMERICANS WERE

CONTACTING VARIOUS VIETNAMESE IN ORDER TO ENCOURAGE A COUP.

HEREUPON NHU HAD CALLED IN DON AND DON WAS SHOWN LIST OF

ERICANS ENGAGED IN SUCH COUP PLOIS. DON STATED CONEIN'S NAME

NOT REPEAT NOT ON THIS LIST.

7• AMBASSADOR HAS APPROVED CONEIN'S CONTACT WITH DON AND

MIN

H

ON 5 OCTOBER.

SOP

3360€

SECRET EXCLUSIVE

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