- Joined
- Feb 29, 2004
- Messages
- 1,628
- Points
- 248
1963 Nhu's Special Forces attack the Buddhists
South Vietnamese Special Forces loyal to President Diem's brother, Ngo Dinh Nhu, attack Buddhists pagodas, damaging many and arresting 1,400 Buddhists. Diem's government represented a minority of Vietnamese who were mostly businessmen, land owners, and Roman Catholics. A large part of the rest of the South Vietnam's population, overwhelmingly Buddhist, deeply resented Diem's rule because of what they perceived as severe discrimination against non-Catholics. In May 1963, the Buddhists began a series of demonstrations against the Diem government, in which seven Buddhist monks set themselves on fire in protest. The U.S. government tried to convince Diem to be more lenient with the Buddhists, but he only became more repressive.
This continuing confrontation with the Buddhists and Diem's failure to press for meaningful reforms led to a withdrawal of U.S. support for the South Vietnamese leader and effectively gave a green light for a coup conducted by opposition generals, who were told that the United States would support whichever government was in power. During the course of the coup, Diem and his brother were assassinated by South Vietnamese officers. The removal of Diem, which U.S. government officials had hoped would stabilize the political situation in South Vietnam, resulted in anything but stability--there would be ten successive governments in Saigon within 18 months.
1965 U.S. pilots given green light to go after anti-aircraft missiles in the North
It is revealed by MACV headquarters (Headquarters Military Assistance Command Vietnam) in Saigon that U.S. pilots have received approval to destroy any Soviet-made missiles they see while raiding North Vietnam. This was a major change from previous orders that restricted them to bombing only previously approved targets.
1969 Nixon meets with South Korean President
President Nixon and South Korean President Park Chung Hee meet in San Francisco. In his welcoming address, Nixon notes that South Korea had "more fighting men in South Vietnam than any other nation" except the United States and South Vietnam. The United States would spend $250 million in 1969 to maintain South Korea's 50,000-man Tiger Division in South Vietnam, which they had previously agreed to outfit.
1971 Antiwar protestors raid draft offices
Antiwar protestors associated with the Catholic Left raid draft offices in Buffalo, New York, and Camden, New Jersey, to confiscate and destroy draft records. The FBI and local police arrested 25 protestors.
South Vietnamese Special Forces loyal to President Diem's brother, Ngo Dinh Nhu, attack Buddhists pagodas, damaging many and arresting 1,400 Buddhists. Diem's government represented a minority of Vietnamese who were mostly businessmen, land owners, and Roman Catholics. A large part of the rest of the South Vietnam's population, overwhelmingly Buddhist, deeply resented Diem's rule because of what they perceived as severe discrimination against non-Catholics. In May 1963, the Buddhists began a series of demonstrations against the Diem government, in which seven Buddhist monks set themselves on fire in protest. The U.S. government tried to convince Diem to be more lenient with the Buddhists, but he only became more repressive.
This continuing confrontation with the Buddhists and Diem's failure to press for meaningful reforms led to a withdrawal of U.S. support for the South Vietnamese leader and effectively gave a green light for a coup conducted by opposition generals, who were told that the United States would support whichever government was in power. During the course of the coup, Diem and his brother were assassinated by South Vietnamese officers. The removal of Diem, which U.S. government officials had hoped would stabilize the political situation in South Vietnam, resulted in anything but stability--there would be ten successive governments in Saigon within 18 months.
1965 U.S. pilots given green light to go after anti-aircraft missiles in the North
It is revealed by MACV headquarters (Headquarters Military Assistance Command Vietnam) in Saigon that U.S. pilots have received approval to destroy any Soviet-made missiles they see while raiding North Vietnam. This was a major change from previous orders that restricted them to bombing only previously approved targets.
1969 Nixon meets with South Korean President
President Nixon and South Korean President Park Chung Hee meet in San Francisco. In his welcoming address, Nixon notes that South Korea had "more fighting men in South Vietnam than any other nation" except the United States and South Vietnam. The United States would spend $250 million in 1969 to maintain South Korea's 50,000-man Tiger Division in South Vietnam, which they had previously agreed to outfit.
1971 Antiwar protestors raid draft offices
Antiwar protestors associated with the Catholic Left raid draft offices in Buffalo, New York, and Camden, New Jersey, to confiscate and destroy draft records. The FBI and local police arrested 25 protestors.
