Office of the Historian

32. Telegram From the Central Intelligence Agency Station in Saigon to the Agency1

Saigon, August 31, 1963—2:39 a.m.

0499. This particular coup is finished. General Harkins cabling General Taylor results this morning’s conversation with General Khiem.2 Summary of Khiem’s statements is to effect that Generals did not feel ready and did not have sufficient balance of forces. They had talked with Nhu yesterday and he has assured them that SVN would be able continue the war, finding means to do so where it could. Generals thinking of proposing to Diem that he bring senior officers into certain Cabinet positions with Nhu in charge of Cabinet, i.e., a kind of prime ministerial role. Harkins’ judgment is that Generals were not ready and could not achieve balance of forces favorable to them.

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, POL 26 S VIET. Secret; Eyes Only; Operational Immediate. The source text is a copy the CIA sent to the Department of State exclusive for Rusk, Ball, Harriman, and Hilsman. Copies were also sent to the White House exclusive for Bundy and to the Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Department of the Army, exclusive for McNamara, Gilpatric, Taylor, and Krulak. Received at the Department of State at 4:47 a.m.↩
  2. Infra.↩