Diem assassinated
;The inept performance of the South Vietnamese army was exemplified by failed actions such as the battle of Ap Bac on Jan 2, 1963, in which a small band of Viet Cong beat off a much larger and better equipped South Vietnamese force, many of whose officers semmed reluctant even to engage in combat.Kennedy noted, "Diem wouldn't make even the slightest concessions. he was difficult to reason with...." Us officials began discussing the possibility of a regime change during the summer of 1963. The United States Department of State was generally in favor of encouraging a coup, while the defence department favored Diem.The CIA was in contact with generals planning to remove Diem. They were told the United States would not oppose such a movenor punish the generals by cutting off aid President Diem was overthrown and executed, along with his brother, on Nov 2, 1963.The US ambassador to South Vietnam, Henry Cabot Lodge, invited the coup leaders to the embassy and congratulated them. Ambassador Lodge informed Kennedy thar "the prospects now are for a shorter war."
Diem assassinated
;The inept performance of the South Vietnamese army was exemplified by failed actions such as the battle of Ap Bac on Jan 2, 1963, in which a small band of Viet Cong beat off a much larger and better equipped South Vietnamese force, many of whose officers semmed reluctant even to engage in combat.Kennedy noted, "Diem wouldn't make even the slightest concessions. he was difficult to reason with...." Us officials began discussing the possibility of a regime change during the summer of 1963. The United States Department of State was generally in favor of encouraging a coup, while the defence department favored Diem.The CIA was in contact with generals planning to remove Diem. They were told the United States would not oppose such a movenor punish the generals by cutting off aid President Diem was overthrown and executed, along with his brother, on Nov 2, 1963.The US ambassador to South Vietnam, Henry Cabot Lodge, invited the coup leaders to the embassy and congratulated them. Ambassador Lodge informed Kennedy thar "the prospects now are for a shorter war." 