KATTENBURG HAD HOUR'S CONVERSATION AFTERNOON AUG 23 WITH OLD FRIEND VO VAN HAI, CHIEF OF DIEM'S PRIVATE CABINET, WHO OVER YEARS HAS BEEN LOYAL AND DEVOTED PERSONAL SERVANT AND STAFF CHIEF OF PRESIDENT.

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80R01580R001603440044-8
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 22, 2013
• Sequence Number: 44
• Publication Date: August 24, 1963
• Content Type: CABLE

Declassified and Approved For Release 2014/02/10 : CIA-RDP80R01580R001603440044-8 ?
. .?
A
Li
ttiCGMING TELEGRAM Department of State
. 43-41
Action
FE
rmic SAIGON
Info
SS TO: Secretary of State
SP NO: 316, AUGUST 24, 10.AMI
?
INR 11
? ; ti-2
RMR PRIORITY :
LIMIT DISTRIBUTION
FOR HiLSMAN
Control:
Reed:
20023
AUGUST 24, 1963
12:37 AM
fl 9 0
g
KATTENBURG HAD HOUR'S CONyERSATION AFTERNOON AUG 23 WITH
OLD FRIEND v0 VAN HAI, CHIEF 'dr DIEM'S PRIVATE CABINET,
WHO OVER YEARS HAS BEEN LOYAL AND DEVOTED PERSONAL SERVANT
AND STAFF CHIEF OF PRESIDENT. ESSENTIAL PROTECT SOURCE AS,..
.HAI CONSIDERS LIFE IN DANGER AND SAYS HE CONSTANTLY WATCHED
BY NHuS.
HAI SAYS ENTIRE AFFAIR FULLY AND CAREFULLY STAGED-MANAGED
BY NHU. LATTER NEVER FOR A SECOND BELIEVED IN POLICY OF
CONCILIATION AND HIMSELF PROMOTED WIFE'S STATEMENTS AND SPEECHES
PAST MONTH. WOULD BE WORST ERROR BELIEVE MME NHU ANY SENSE
INDEPENDENT OR DOMINANT OVER HUSBAND, REVERSE IS CASE. '
NHU HAS BEEN LYING "EFFRONTEMENT" TO AMERICANS WITH WHOM HE
HAS SPOKEN', AS HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN LYING "TO ALL OF US."
(COMMENT: PREJUDICE OF SOURCE THIS SCORE CANNOT BE DISCOUNTED.
HAI HAS BEEN TRYING TO COUNTER NHU'S GROWING INFLUENCE OVER
DIEM FOR YEARS.) ?
ACCORDING Hed, NHU DECIDED CONFRONT US WITH FAIT ACCOMPLI ON
LODGE'S ARRIVAL, MAY ALSO HAVE GOTTEN WIND DIEM NOTION SPUR
FOREIGN INVITATION MME NHU LEAVE COUNTRY. ON AFTERNOON OF DAY
BEFORE ACTION (MONDAY),iNbiUgHAD MEETING WITH FOUR OR FIVE GENERALS,
AMONG WHOM ONLY ONES WHOSE PRESENCE HAI KNEW FOR CERTAIN WERE .
DON, NHIEM, DINH, LATTER ASSISTED NHU IN SCHEME BRING OTHER
GENERALS
REPRODUCTION HWM no cm is
"ThrfarT UNLESS
Declassified and Approved For Release 2014/02/10 : CIA-RDP80R01580R001603440044-8
Declassified and Approved For Release 2014/02/10 : CIA-RDP80R01580R001603440044-8
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? -2L 3I.6, AUGUST 24, 10 AM, FROM SAIGON
GENERALS TO MEETIhil WITH PRESIDENT FEW HOURS BEFORE ACTION.
? DIEM ACQUIESCED PROPOSED mow OF GENERALS AND NHU WITHOUT
? bIFFICULTY, DESPITE FACT THAT-AT LEAST UNTIL LAST rd0 WEEKS .1?
pIEM GENUINELY BELIEVED IN POLICY OF CONCILIATION. _THIS NOT
GUM:USING, ACCORDINGMAI# BECAUSE NHU HAS CONFLETELY DOMINATED
iPRESIDENT PAST'TWO YEARs...xti..":: - ' . .. I
1 . ,. ...? ? if
;HAI PERSONALLY BELIEVES ACTION IG WORST THAT COULD HAVE BEEN
;
(TAKEN, IS ALREADY LEADIMatTO RESIGNATIONS BEST MEN LEFT
;AROUND PRESIDENT, AND HAS:Ceb:oimps DECLARE PRIVATELY
1(pCRHAPS ONLY IN INITIAL REACTION Or DESPAIR) THAT NOW MIGHT .
:AS WELL THROW LOT IN WITH VIET COM. HAI DOES NOT BELIEVE .
.PopULATION IN GENERAL WILL ATTEMPT STAGE ACTIVE DEMONSTRATIONS,
EXCEPT PERHAPS FOR STUDENTS. BUT HE FEARS REACTION IN LONGER .
.RON WILL BE PROGRESSIVE DENIAL SUPPORT AND COOPERATION TO GOVERN.-
t,
mENT AND ARMEDFORCES ON`PART or PEOPLE. ?AS FOR FORCES, THEY. ?
WILL, HAITS,OPINION, REMAIN LOYAL AS LONG AS PRESENT NHU SYSTEM
FAVORITISM AND PRIVILEGE CONTINUES. IF NHU REMOVED, HOWEVER, HAt
BELIEVES SITUATION COULD STILL BE RESCUED AND BEST SOLUTION
REMAINS DIEM SURROUNDED BY NEW AND BETTER ADVISORS. HAI VOLUNTEER-
ED HE WOULD NOT GUARANTEE THAT IF NHU REMOVED FRom SCENE DIEM
WOULD NOT SEEK RETIREmENT IN moNASTERY,'YET.THouGHT IT moRE LIKELY
DIEM WOULD SEEK RETAIN POWER. IN SUCH SITUATION, HAI SAID,
VICE PRESIDENT THO SHOULD BECOME MAIN ADVISOR, PLAY LEADING -
ACTIVE ROLE. "THO RETAINS STRONG BASE POPULAR SUPPORT AND COULD
ACT FIRMLY AND DECISIVELY WITH SUPPORT or ARMY UNDER LEADERSHIP
GENERAL mINH Zr NHU OUT OF WAY. .
A: I
I 4:
?
HAI REPEATED HE THOUGHT WOO FAMILY SYSTEM OF CONTROL THROUGH .
FAVORITISM IN ARMY WOULD FALL APART RAPIDLY WITH NHUIS
RENOVAL AND THAT GENERALS WOULD mOVE AGAINST NHU IF- GIVEN' WORD
To 00 50 ("IT.WoULD NOT BE OIFFICILTs).
?..
HAI FURTHER SUGGESTED APPROPRIATE U.S. OFFICIALS TALK SOONEST:
To EX-FONMIN MA U, WHO HE IiptCATEDIMIGHT SHORTLY 00 .ABROAD ON":
. PRIvATE LEAVE AND comultertiNE.CONTACTED OUTSIDE. ? : :'
4
.HAI MADE
..SECRET.
40
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Declassified and Approved For Release 2014/02/10 :.CIA-RDP80R01580R001603440044-8
V
SECRET
-3- 316, AUGUST 24, 10 AM, rR0M 54i0oN
HAI. MADE REMARKS ABOUT RESCUING DIEM WHEN NHUIS OUT OF PICTURE
WITHOUT MUCH SENSE OF CONVICTION, AND MAY WELL FEEL IT ALREADY
TOO LATE EVEN FOR THAT.. IN FACT HE. STATED THAT HIS DREAM OF
SUCCESSFUL DIEM REGIME, WHICH HAD SEEMED SO PROMISING IN LATE
FIFTIES, WAS NOW FURTHER THAN EVER rRom REALIZATION.
GP-2.
CJ/2I
LOPGE
NOTE:if. RELAYED WHITE HOUSE PER SS?O 8/24/63
, -SECRET
Declassified and Approved For Release 2014/02/10 : CIA-RDP80R01580R001603440044-8