The End Of The Diem Regime Essays - Buddhist Crisis, Ngo Dinh Diem

The End Of The Diem Regime 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. History Reports