September 1964 South Vietnamese coup attempt

The September 1964 South Vietnamese coup attempt took place on September 13–14, 1964, when Generals Lâm Văn Phát and Dương Văn Đức led a coup against the ruling junta of South Vietnam, led by General Nguyễn Khánh. The coup failed without bloodshed, and Nguyễn Cao Kỳ and Nguyễn Chánh Thi gained more leverage over Khánh.

 Background 
In January 1964, General Nguyễn Khánh seized power from General Dương Văn Minh. By August, he tried to strengthen his rule by declaring a state of emergency, provoking protests led by Buddhist activists. Under pressure, Khánh made concessions, upsetting several Catholic officers.

 The Coup 
On September 13, 1964, Generals Phát and Đức launched a coup with support from the Đại Việt Quốc dân đảng and other officers. They captured key locations in Saigon and announced the overthrow of Khánh's regime. Khánh rallied support from his allies, including Nguyễn Cao Kỳ and Nguyễn Chánh Thi, and with U.S. support, the coup collapsed the next morning.

 Aftermath 
Khánh exiled General Trần Thiện Khiêm and later tried to use the coup plotters as political counterweights. However, his political decline continued, and he was deposed in February 1965 with U.S. support.

 References 

Category:Vietnam War
Category:1964 in Vietnam
Category:Conflicts in 1964