245. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Vietnam1
160. Embtel 173.2 Madame Nhu’s attack on Buddhists plus reported threat by Nhu (Reuters despatch of August 3)3 to crush Xa Loi as part of “coup” attempt appears here to indicate GVN may well be preparing move from conciliatory to strong repressive policy. Burning of second monk4 and “fortification” Xa Loi suggests Buddhists will not be easily put down.
If you have not already done so, you are to make it clear to Diem and Nhu that we regard both Nhu’s statements as inflammatory and most unwise. These statements give us as well as Buddhists little ground to hope GVN is actually interested in carrying out conciliatory policy promised by Diem on several occasions. You may say further that public opinion in US is such that if Xa Loi is “crushed”, they must expect that USG would promptly and publicly denounce the action.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, SOC 14-1 S VIET. Secret; Operational Immediate; Limited Distribution. Drafted by Heavner and Kattenburg and approved by Hilsman. Repeated to CINCPAC for POLAD.↩
- Telegram 173, August 3, reported on Madame Nhu’s August 3 speech before a Women’s Paramilitary Youth training class. She “denounced the Buddhists as seditious elements who use the most odious Communist tactics to subvert the country.” (Daily Summary; Ibid., Daily Summaries: Lot 65 D 142. Telegram 173 is Ibid., Central Files, POL 6 S VIET)↩
- The Reuters despatch was printed in The New York Times, August 5.↩
- At noon, August 4, novice bonze Huyhn Van Le burned himself to death in front of the Monument aux Morts, Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan Province. This self-immolation was not part of a larger demonstration nor procession, and it was not witnessed by news reporters or photographers. Telegrams 178 and 183 from Saigon, August 5 and 6, contain reports of U.S. officials who later investigated the suicide. (Ibid., SOC 14-S VIET) Both telegrams are published in Declassified Documents 1975, 319B and 319C, respectively.↩