VIEWS OF PRESIDENT THIEU AND VIDE PRESIDENT KY ON THE PROPOSED BOMBING HALT

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06923739
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: March 9, 2023
• Document Release Date: December 2, 2021
• Case Number: F-2019-02256
• Publication Date: October 28, 1968

Approved for Release: 2021/11/10 C06923739
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20505
28 October 1968
MEMORANDUM FOR: The Honorable Walt W. Rostow
Special Assistant to the President
The Honorable Dean Rusk
Secretary of State
SUBJECT: Views of President Thieu and Vice President
Ky on the Proposed Bombing Halt
1.
a. Vice President Ky has kept General Khang informed on
the bombing halt talks between the GVN and the American
mission. Ky regards as overridingly important obtaining a
DRV commitment to negotiate directly with the GVN on ending
the war. All other matters at issue, Ky believes, are periph-
eral and relatively unimportant. Ky is not opposed to an NLF
presence in some form at the Paris talks.
b. last week that
the President was concerned over the heavy pressure to which
the Americans had subjected him on the bombing halt issue
and was angry at them for trying to bluff him.
that Thieu was worried that American aid to the GVN might be
cut off if he failed to yield to American wishes. He was also
disturbed because the Americans had falsely told other allied
leaders that Thieu had agreed to the American bombing halt
proposals.
c. Thieu and his older brother Kieu
for part of the above conversation and Kieu was outspoken in
his resentment over American pressure on his brother.
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Kieu said that domestic political considerations had
led the Americans to press on Thieu many proposals disadvantageous
to SVN. The GVN must resist this pressure until the American
elections are held. Kieu said his brother would never concede to
the Americans and was prepared to leave the Presidency if the
Americans cut off financial aid to the GVN or to die if there was an
attempt against his life. Thieu preferred, Kieu said, a respected
name in history to living shamelessly like a dog obeying its master's
every command.
ovElORIE
Approved for Release: 2021/11/10 C06923739