DIEM DEDICATED TO CAUSE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP65B00383R000200170008-6
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 24, 2003
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: November 20, 1963
• Content Type: OPEN

 Approved For Release 2003/10/10 : CIA-RDP65B00383R000200170008-6
1 163
CONGRESSIONAL- RECORD - APPENDIX A7197
I think of the land he provided for them
so that they could begin rebuilding their
lives.
I think of the day that Rao Dal ordered
General Vy to take over the premiership of
South Vietnam from Ngo Dinh Diem; I
think of Ngo Dinh Diem and his stubborn
reaction and his statement, "I am staying."
I.think of how he allowed the general to
escape from'those who would have shot him.
I think then of those Vietnamese generals
whom he trusted.
I, think of Ngo Dinh Diem's desire to re-
build his armed forces and how pleased he
was to see it accomplished. Then I think
of how they were persuaded by many things
to turn against him.
I think of the Vietnamese officers I knew
and it seems incredible that they would
turn against their duly elected President
without a nod from someone.
I think of May 1955, and the armed at-
tack by the Binh Xuyen Against the Saigon
I think of Diem's cool appraisal of the
situation, of the fact that he knew his own
people and that it was necessary to counter-
attack and destroy the insurgent group.
I, think of the French and American peo-
ple in Saigon in high-level positions, who
advised against a counterattack for fear it
would start the Communists shooting again.
I think of the counteroffensive and the
complete destruction of the Binh Xuyen
without a murlittlr from the Communists.
I think of Ngo Dinh Diem's astuteness in
bringing other dissident groups - into his
government. I think of his election as
President of his country by winning over
90 percent of the votes.
I think of that time because I was in
Vietnam and `noted that the voting was
done without coercion of any kind.
i think of the General Assembly that was
formed with 125 Members, 12 of whom were
women.
I think of Ngo Dinh Diem when he said
to me, "We are in 'a war, a 'war to the finish;
and I have-to act as a general would act
and direct my people -toward winning."
I think of the rebuilding of 1,000 school
buildings.' I think of school attendance
jumping from 400,000 in 1956 to 1,500,000
in 1960.
I think of the founding of the University
of Hue, of Diem's `pride in it; and of my
visit there in" 1958 'when it was beginning
to flourish.
: I think, of_Ngo Dinh Diem's land reform
program when he bought up thousands of
acres from large-scale landowners and re-
sold the land to peasant farmers.
I think of the day In 1956 when I ac-
compahied him toSoc Traiig and was re-
quested by him to hand out one of the first
certificates of ownership to a beaming peas
-
i think of'visits with him to newly built
villages in central Vietnam which housed
people frori -overpolsulated areas on the
from Laos and Cambodia.
I think of an eliening at Ban-Me-Thuot
when we had returned froln a long hard visit
to new villages ' in` the interior, wherein the
President had walked among the people and III- talked to :them and; -in ate evening, we sat
and discussed his pet-project and how en-
thusiastic`he was to do more. '"" ` - -
I think of the fact that an entire textile
rh111 that had been transported from North
Vietnam piece by piece was rebuilt and em-
ploynientprovided for many people.
I think of per capita food production
haying risen by -20 pertelit in 4 years. I
think of how'r"ice production had expanded
to export total's of lt0,000 tons per year.
I think of `ow ini.portaiit is "face" to the
oriental. T think of how it takes about 6
months to be trusted by the oriental. He is
suspicious until you prove that you are to
be trusted regardless of nationality.
I think of the recent flare-up by the
Buddhists and the fact that the Chinese
Communists have instructed their Bud-
dhists: First, understand politics; second,
understand labor problems; and last, "Then
"
you may worship."
I think of the charges made against Ngo
Dinh Diem that he was oppressing the
Buddhists.
Then I think of the fact that the Vice
President of Vietnam was a Buddhist; that 50
percent of the General Assembly were Bud-
dhists; that 16 out of 19 South Vietnam gen-
erals are Buddhists, and that Ngo Dinh Diem
had rebuilt some Buddhist pagodas with his
own money.
I think of the student uprisings and of Dr.
De Jaegher, who spent many years in China
and was there during the Communist take-
over; and of his book, "The Enemy Within?'
and his description of how Communist cells
were recruited from the graduates of one
university and were matriculated as fresh-
men in other schools in order to carry out
propaganda and insurrection.
When I think of Ngo Dinh Diem I remem-
ber a day a few years ago in Washington,
D.C., when I saw him arrive at the airport
there, where he was met by the President
of the United States, and afterward they
rode in state together to the White House.
Then I think of a day or two afterward,
when I sat in the gallery in the Senate and
saw Ngo Dinh Diem receive a rising ovation
from a joint session of our Congress.
. I think of all these things and then I think
of the propaganda against Ngo Dinh Diem
ever since he came to office.
I think of a series of newspaper articles
that appeared 4 or 5 years ago, about corrup-
tion in Vietnam and how congressional in-
vestigation proved the charges practically
without foundation.
I think of the sniping and smearing that
has been going on in many areas of our com-
munication media, of cartoons to ridicule
Ngo Dinh Diem and his family.
I think of the well-intentioned, well-known
but misguided Americans who signed a pe-
tition, in the form of a paid ad in the New
York Times, which castigated Ngo Dinh
Diem.
I think of what Ngo Dinh Diem's feelings
must have been when so-called friends de-
serted him when he needed them most.
I think of the glee with which the Com-
munists from North Vietnam broadcast via
radio Hanoi these damaging statements to
all of southeast Asia.
I think of the way the flame was fanned
against Ngo Dinh Diem and how an addi-
tional spark was all that was needed to set
off the powder keg.
I think of all these things and then I
think of Ngo Dinh Diem, the man; small in
physical stature, determined, patriotic, anti-
the love of his country and its welfare an
obsession.
I think of one of his brothers who was
buried alive by the Communists.
I think of Ngo Dinh Diem as the strongest
anti-Communist ally that we had.
I think of the statement made on Novem-
ber 4, 1963, by Representative CLEMENT J.
ZABLocnt, Democrat, of Wisconsin-who
headed a House Foreign Affairs Committee
that visited Vietnam less than a month ago-
that "President Diem impressed us as a dedi-
cated nationalist; sincere, Incorruptible and
determined - to defeat the Communist
Vietcong.".
I think of all these things and I wonder
why a man of such proven ability was over-
thrown and murdered.
I think of all these things and they all add
up to a concerted effort to destroy a man
who didn't always follow our advice and do
the things we thought he should do. .
I think of these things and then I think
that - Ngo Dinh Diem knew his own people
and how to handle them. I think he recog-
nized the war there better than we.
I think again as Representative ZABLOCKI
does: There must have been "some encour-
agement" for the revolt. I think someone,
somewhere, gave the nod.
I think of the trust Ngo Dinh Diem must
have had in surrendering to the junta as
he did, and how a duly elected president of
a brave little country was betrayed and
brutally murdered. -
I think of these things and my heart is
heavy and my ire is beyond expression.
I know I will always remember Ngo Dinh
Diem; the many good and fine things that
he did as well as some of the mistakes; but
that the good things far outweight the 'errors.
I will remember all these things; how he
lived and the way he died. I hope America
will never forget.
Copperhill is Tennessee
EXTENSION OF REMARKS
OF
HON. W. E. (BILL) BROCK
OF TENNESSEE
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Wednesday, November 20,1963
Mr. BROCK. Mr. Speaker, the State
of Georgia- is filing a suit before the
U.S. Supreme Court making an unwar-
ranted claim to Tennessee territory. I
take this opportunity to put Tennessee
on record as ready, willing, and able to
maintain the right of our citizens to con-
tinue living in the finest State in the
Union. -
Apparently, the Governor of Georgia is
trying to attract new industry to his
State, and he is not unaware of the
existence of our Tennessee Copper Co.-
a thriving and progressive business hap-
pily located in the rich-- copper basin of
my congressional district. Even so, the
people of the disputed area are Tennes-
seans, and the Volunteer State has
pledged to protect them from the present
attempt at gerrymandering.
Tennessee was admitted to the Union
in 1796 with uncertain borders with
eight surrounding States. However, as
early as 1817 interested parties from
Tennessee and Georgia met and agreed
to the present State boundary; it is
somewhat south of the 35th parallel
which Georgia erroneously claims as the
border. I am told the legislatures of both
States approved the existing borderline
in 1819, thus it is difficult to understand
the current distraction from the more
pressing problems now facing our States
and our Nation.
When the line was drawn, there was
no error of surveying; there was no mis-
judgement-but there was an agreement
to the accepted boundary. We fully ex-
pect Georgia to live up to its word, and
to continue to utilize the more normal
and acceptable programs for growth
which have made it an outstanding ex-
ample of our progressive and prosperous
new south.
Approved For Release 2003/10/10: CIA-RDP65B00383R000200170008-6