Originator: DOS
From: Ambassador Lodge
To: Rusk
Document type: PAPER-TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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176-10036-10168

2022 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM

IDENTIFICATION FORM

AGENCY : NARA

RECORD NUMBER : 176-10036-10168

RECORD SERIES : National Security Files

AGENCY FILE NUMBER

ORIGINATOR : DOS

FROM : Ambassador Lodge

TO : Rusk

TITLE:

DATE :

PAGES : 3

SUBJECTS :

DOCUMENT TYPE :

CLASSIFICATION :

RESTRICTIONS :

CURRENT STATUS :

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 9/10/2000

OPENING CRITERIA :

Cables. Box 2

COMMENTS : National Security Files, Box 201: Vietnam, 10/29/63-10/31/63, State

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SECTION. TWO OF THREE

AILS ONLY:

VIÄ CAS. SAIGON 2063 • FROM AMSASSADOR LODGE DIE 301030Z

TO SECSTATE WASH EYES ONLY FOR RUSK, HARRIMAN, BALL, HILSHAN, HUGHES

OSD EYES ONLY FOR MCNAMARA, GILPATRIC,. TAYLOR, KRULAK, MR. WM. BUNDY

WHITE HOUSE/EYES ONLY MCGEORGE BUNDY

INFO CAS HONOLULU FOR ADM FELT EYES ONLY

CIA/EYES ONLY MCCONE, CARTER, HELMS

REF:: CAS WASHINGTON 79109

4.: RE PARA 4 REF, WE EXPECT THAT CONEIN WILL MEET DOM! ON.

THE NIGHT OF 30 OCI OR EARLY MORNING 31 OCT. WE AGREE WITH PARA 4

REF THAT WE SHOULD. CONTINUE TO PRESS FOR DETAILS AND QUESTION DON

AS TO HIS ESTIMATE OF THE RELATIVE STRENGTHS OF OPPOSING FORCES:

WE DO NOT

BELIEVE, HOWEVER, THAI WE SHOULD SHOW ANY SIGNS OF

ATTEMPTING TO DIRECI THIS AFFAIR OURSELVES OR OF GIVING THE

IMPRESSION OF SECOND THOUGHTS ON IHIS VIETNAMESE INITIATIN

IN IHE MEANTIME, WE WILL RESPOND SPECIFICALLY TO CAS WASHINGTON

79126. PLEASE NOTE THAT CAS SAIGON 2059 CORRECTS CAS SAIGON

2023 AND TWO REGIMENTS OF THE TTH DIVISION ARE INCLUDED

. IN THE

COUP FORCES..

5: APPARENTLY PARA 5: REF OVERLOOKS CAS 1445, 5 OCT 1963

WHICH GAVE AN ACCOUNT OF THE FACE TO FACE MEETING OF GENERAL

"BIG MINH" AND CONEIN AI MINH'S INSTIGATION AND THROUGH THE SPECIFIC

ARRANGEMENT OF GEN DON..

MINH SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIED GEN DON AS

PARTICIPATING IN A PLAN TO CHANGE THE GOVERNMENT. PLEASE NOTE

THAT MINH'S REMARKS PARALLEL IN EVERY WAY THE LATER STATEMENTS OF

GEN DON. WE BELIEVE THAT THE LINITATION OF CONTACI TO DON AND

CONEIN: IS AN APPROPRIA

ECURITY MEASURE CONSONAN

TH - OUR

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..URGING THAT THE SMALLEST NUMBER OF PERSONS BE AWARE OF THESE

DETAILS•

6. WE DO NOT BELIEVE IT WISE TO ASK THAT "BIG MINH" PASS HIS .

PLANS TO GEN STILWELL. THE VIETNAMESÉ BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE MEMBERS

• OF THE U.S. MILITARY WHO LEAK TO THE GOVERNMENI OF VIETNAM. I DO NOT

• DOUBT THAT THIS IS AN UNJUST SUSPICION BUT. IT IS A FACT THAT THIS.

SUSPICION EXISTS AND THERE IS NO USE IN PRETENDING THAT. IT DOES NOT.

7. I MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR FURNISHING THE BERIH EQUIPPED MILITARY:

AIRCRAFT WHICH I TRUST IS A JET. I INTEND TO TELL PAN AMERICAN THAT

A JET HAS BEEN DIVERTED FOR MY USE AND THEREFOR I WILL NO. LONGER

NEED THEIR SERVICES., THIS. WILL UNDOUBTEDLY LEAK TO THE NEWSPAPERS AND .

THE GVN MAY STUDY THIS MOVE WITH SOME SUSPICION. I WILL ANSWER ANY

INQUIRIES ON THIS SCORE TO THE EFFECT THAT I AM MOST PLEASED SY THIS

'ATTENTION AND THAT THIS IS OBVIOUSLY DONE AS A MEASURE TO INSURE MY

CONFORT AND SAVE MY TIME. TO ALLAY SUSPICIONS FURTHER, I WILL OFFER

SPACE ON THE AIRCRAFI TO MACU FOR EMERGENCY LEAVE CASES, ETC, AND

HANDLE THIS IN AS ROUTINE FASHION AS POSSIBLE. I WISH TO RESERVE

COMMENT AS TO MY ACTUAL TIME OF DEPARTURE UNTIL I HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL

INFORMATION, HOPEFULLY. TOMORROW•

8. YOUR PARA 7. SOMEWHAT. PERPLEXES ME. •IT DOES NÓT SEEM SENSIBLE

TO HAVE THE MILITARY IN CHARGE OF A MATTER WHICH IS SO PRO-

FOUNDLY POLITICAL AS A CHANGE OF GOVERNMENI. IN FACT, I WOULD SAY

TO DO THIS WOULD PROBABLY BE THE END OF ANY HOPE FOR A CHANGE OF

GOVERNMENT HERE. THIS IS SAID IMPERSONALLY AS A GENERAL PROPOSITION,

SINCE

GEN HARKINS IS A SPLENDID GENERAL AND AN OLD FRINED OF MINE TO

WHOM I WOULD GLADLY ENTRUST ANYTHING I HAVE. I ASSUME THAT

THE EMBASSY AND MACU ARE ABLE TO HANDLE NORMAL ACTIVITIES UNDER A,

THAT CAS CAN CONTINUE COUP CONTACTS UNDER B, AND AS REGARDS C, WE

MUST SIMPLY DO THE VERY BEST WE CAN IN THE LIGHT OF EVENTS AFTER •

THE COUP HAS STARTED.

. 6€

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9. WE APPRECIATE THE STEPS TAKEN AS OUTLINED IN PARA 8.

HOWEVER, WE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT THE GVIN IS NOT TOTALLY INEPT IN IIS

FOREIGN SOUNDINGS AND THAT THESE MOVES SHOULD BE AS DISCREET AND

SECURITY CONSCIOUS AS POSSIBLE. I WOULD, OF COURSE, CALL FOR THESE

¡ORCES ONLY IN CASE OF EXTREME NECESSITY SINCE MY HOPE COINCIDES

JITH THE GENERALS THAT THIS WILL BE AN ALL VIETNAMESE AFFAIR.

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HO CALY

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