CABLE RE DISCUSSION ON DEMARCHE

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 0001174454
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: June 22, 2015
• Document Release Date: January 29, 2009
• Case Number: F-2005-00153
• Publication Date: October 23, 1963

AT INITIATIVE OF MAJ GEN TRAM VAN DONS LT CCL CONEIN.
MET' WITH HIM MORNING 23 `1OGT AT JOINT GENERAL STAFF COVER.'FOR
MEETING'WAS DISCUSSION RECENT DEMARCHE MADE TO SECRETARY THUAN
COL TUNG WITH RESPECT TO SUPPORT OF SPECIAL FORCES.
'
GEN DON WAS QUITE' AGITATED. HE STATED THAT THE GENERALS.
COMMITTEE HAD DECIDED TO ATTEMPT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE.OF THE
OF GEN DON'S STAFF, WAS PLANNING A COUP TO; :OOCi ;.0N OR ABOUT 27
,THAT'HE (HARKINS) HAD REPORTS THAT CCL NGtPIE f KHUO JG A MEMBER
HOWEVER, ON 22 OCT"GEN 4HARKINS HAD CALLED IN GE'N bCN AND STATED
2S NATIONAL HOLIDAY IN ORDER TO STAGE A COUP WITHIN THE WEEK.
HARKINS ALLEGEDLY STATED TO DON THAT THIS WAS THE WRONG TIME FOR
OCT. (SEE USARMA SAIGON 0.3989 21. OCT. 63, DTG 2110552). GEN
A COUP, THE WAR WAS GOING WELL AND THAT COL Kr3UONG SHOULD BE MADE
TO CEASE AND DESIST IN HI'S PLANNING. ''FURTHERMORE, GEN DON ASSERTED
THAT WORD OF COL KNUONG',S. OVERTURES .TO THE AMERICANS HAD REACHED
THE PALACE. AS A RESULT,. THE .5TH DIVISION AND THE 7TH DIVISION9
OTHER THAN THE ISSUING' OFFICE 1$ PROHIBITED
G t
# a dad Hew wleenlM
AVZ
WHICH, HAD BEEN'. COUNTED ON AS KEY ELEMENTS IN THE. SAIGON AREA ?TC
PARTICIPATE,.IN:.THE. COUP, HAD, BEEN EXTENDED ON THEIR OPERATIONS
 I A5S I F J MESSAGE
Ot3FSIDE:` OF`_ SA^IGf`ON BY' OR'DER OF~:' THE .PRESIDENT
3 o D'ON DEMANDED -TO KNOWTHE 'ANSWERS' TO` HIS, PREVIOUS ~tU ST TUNS
-
WITH RESPECT TO THE USG ATTITUDE TOWARDS A COUP. CONEIN RE IFY
T, SPEAKING' ON INSTRUCTIONS, HE COULD SAY THAT T W 'USG WOULD.
T` THWART:A CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT: OR DENY ECONOMIC AND MILITAR
ASSISTANCEt TO A` NEW REGIME ,IF IT APPEARED CAPABLE OF INCREASING
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE MILITARY EFFORT' ASSURING` POPULAR SUPR~R$
TO WIN THE WAR' AND IMPROVI;NG'- WORKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE US.
4. ' GEN ,DON THEN ASKED CONE IN TO TELL THE AMBASSADOR;. AS FROM
THE GENERALS' COUP COMMITTEE' THAT, COL KHUONG, WAS NOT A: MEMBERTHIOF THE.
:.COUP COMMITTEE, .DID NOT REPR,ESENT THE COMMITTEE OR ITS THINKING
. .~ ,._. .~._.,.~..~~...w.,~?..,.~... ..~...,
_.. _...~.~._w.m.., v..
MG ANY StJBSTANTIAL
NTT 1 AND SHOULD NOT, BE. CONSIDERED _AS>REJ ,E ESE
DJ:?
ELEMENT OF THE ARMED.FORCES. THE COUP COMMITTEE WPJJ.. MEET
OCT AND DECIDE ON AAPR(PRIATE?DISCIPLINARY: ACT ,ION TO
.WITH RESPECT TO COL' KHUONG.
? CONEIN INQUIRED 1 IF GEN DON HAD ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT
HIM THRU THE MEDIUM OF LAM NGOC ?HUAN. GEN DON ADMITTED THAT.
HE-,HAD. CONEIN INQUIRED WHY THE GENERALS HAD NOT T}EN SPOKEN
TO THE AMBASSADOR AT THE RECEPTION ON THE ISTH. DON RESPONDED
THAT THERE HAD BEEN'TOO MANY MEMBERS OF, GEN. -HARKINS?:S STAFF TO
RMIT ANY SECURE CONVERSATION.WITH THE. AMBASSADOR.
6. CONEIN THEN CHALLENGED DOW TO PRODUCE PROOF T NAT
GENERALS COUP COMMITTEE EXISTED OR THAT THEY HAD ANY PLAN
 t.A SiFIED MESSAGE
IN. PAGE -
.COMMITTEE ON 23:OCT TO TURN OVER TO CO3 EIN ON'.24 OCT. EYES ONLY
FOR THE 'AMBASSADOR; 'THE COMMITTEE'S PbL-ITICAL ORGAN 2ATION PLANO'
TO ACCOMPLISH THIS DON REQUESTED CONEIN. TO MEET HIM AT 1900
HOURS ON 24 OCT_ IN DOWNTOWN SAIGON IN ORDER . TO. RECEIVE THIS
PLAN.
7. GEN HARKINS IS. IN BANGKOK :TODAY BUT ON,; HYS
AMBASSAbOR ;WILL .DISCUSS MATTER, WITH `
HIM..:...,
RETUR