Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Vietnam, Volume I

239. Telegram From the Ambassador in Vietnam (Durbrow) to the Department of State¹

Saigon, November 16, 1960—2 p.m.

1088. Reference telegram 1081.² Additional to points made at press conference Monday evening I emphasized the following:

1. Throughout events of November 11–12, Embassy had emphasized when contacted by either side, urgency of avoiding bloodshed necessity talking rather than firing, and giving as well as taking in negotiations.

2. We had expressed to various top officials of the government, after emergency was over, damage to Vietnam’s world prestige and to its anti-Communist efforts, of severe and revengeful reprisals.

3. In answer to a point-blank question I replied that I was “happy that President Diem had successfully resisted the coup”.

Durbrow

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 751K.00/11–1660. Official Use Only. Repeated for information to Bangkok, Vientiane, Phnom Penh, Tokyo, Hong Kong and CINCPAC PolAd.
2. In telegram 1081, November 14, Durbrow reported that he and McGarr had held a press conference for U.S. correspondents at which he and the MAAG Chief had set forth a general, “guardedly frank résumé of developments as we knew them” in the recent attempted coup d’état. “There were no really embarrassing questions but most correspondents expressed hope coup would induce Diem take steps improve internal situation and obvious discontent.” (Ibid., 751K.00/11–1460)