State Historical Society of Iowa

Memorandum of World's Reaction to Developments in Vietnam, September 14, 1963

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Courtesy of National Archives, "World Reaction to Developments in Vietnam," 14 September 1963

Description

The declassified memo comes just a few months before President John F. Kennedy's assassination. During the majority of his presidency, Kennedy threw support, both financially and militarily, to the Ngo Dinh Diem regime. In the memo, the overall disapproval of Diem is clear internationally. 

Transcript of Memorandum of World's Reaction to Developments in Vietnam

Source-Dependent Questions

  • How would you summarize the responses to the Diem regime around the world?
  • What specific reservations about the Diem regime go against American ideas?
  • How would supporting a regime with the issues Diem appeared to have internationally hurt the U.S.'s standing in the world? Why would this not have mattered to the U.S. at the time?

Citation Information 

"World Reaction to Developments in Vietnam," 14 September 1963. Courtesy of National Archives