, Research Paper
The Kennedy administration was responsible for the overthrow of the
Diem regime and Diem?s assasination.The U.S. did not have a problem with
Diem, the real problem was with Diem?s brother Nhu.Nhu was responsible
for many protests by Bhuddist monks where Mrs. Nhu would call the monks
who set themselves on fire in protest ?barbecues.? The Kennedy
administration had a lot to do with the overthrow of the regime although
they did not have much to do with Diem?s assasination.
The Kennedy administration was the main influence in overthrowing
the Diem regime.The State Department wanted to give Diem a chance to rid
himself of Nhu and replace him with the best military and political
personalities available. Ambassador Lodge said that the possibility of Diem
meeting are demands are virtually nil. The only way to get rid of Nhu is to get rid of the
entire Diem regime. In a cablegram from Ambassador Lodge to Secretary Rusk, Lodge
said; ?We are launched on a course from which there is no turning back: the overthrow of
the Diem government.? Lodge also stated that there is no turning back because the U.S. is
publicly committed to the end of the Diem regime. In a cablegram transmitted from
President Kennedy to Ambassador Lodge, Kennedy said that the U.S. should not actively
help the coup, but be ready to make good relations with the group that overthrows the
Diem regime. In a later cablegram from the whitehouse they said that the U.S. does not
wish to leave an impression that they are opposed to a new regime. When the U.S. says
this they are basically telling the coup that they are backing them.
Because of the Kennedy administrations responsibility in the
overthrow of the Diem regime it also leads to the eventual assasination of
Diem.The U.S. was not as involved with his assasination as they were with
the overthrow of Diem?s regime. Diem was told by Ambassador Lodge that if he
resigned, him and his brother would be allowed to leave the country
safely. Diem, however, was not told by the U.S. that they sided with the
coup. Diem believed he was doing the right thing and the U.S. was not
opposed to him. If he had known that the U.S was against him he would have probably
resigned, but he was denied that information from ambassador
Lodge.