Office of the Historian

458. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State1

Saigon, December 22, 1964—10 p.m.

1900. Embtel 1896.2 From reftel and subsequent tels it is evident Khanh has thrown down gauntlet.

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In order immediately dissuade him from any illusion that he can turn this into personal vendetta between myself or Embassy and himself, strongly urge that Dept issue formal statement, if possible at noon briefing, drawn heavily from background statement contained Embtel 1895.3 Hope such statement could also be given heavy play by VOA.

Taylor
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 23–9 VIET S. Confidential; Flash; Limdis. Repeated to CIA, the Department of Defense, the White House, and CINCPAC. Received at 10:14 a.m.↩

  2. Telegram 1396, December 22, 3 p.m., transmitted the text of a statement which Khanh had read over Radio Vietnam at 7 p.m. and had circulated in Vietnamese, French, and English. The statement gave his reasons for the dissolution of the High National Council and included the following phrases:

    “We make sacrifices for the country’s independence and the Vietnamese people’s liberty, but not to carry out the policy of any foreign country.”

    “All of us are determined to fulfill our duty as the sons of our time. Better to live poor but proud as free citizens of an independent country rather than in ease and shame as slaves of the foreigners and Communists.” (Ibid., POL 27 VIET S)

    ↩
  3. Supra.↩