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JFK tape of meeting with Lodge, August 15, 1963.
1963-08-15
Source: JFK Papers: Kennedy Tapes, Tape/Conversation 104/A-40/004
Audio recording of President John F. Kennedy conversation with U.S. Ambassador to South Vietnam, Henry Cabot Lodge, August 15, 1963
Transcription of Kennedy-Lodge meeting tape, August 15, 1963
1963-08-15
Source: JFK Papers: Kennedy Tapes, Tape/Conversation 104/A-40/004; transcription by Luke Nichter.
Newly appointed U.S. Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. met with President John F. Kennedy alone in the Oval Office for his farewell meeting prior to leaving for Vietnam. Lodge began with a summary of his conversation the night before with Than Thi Nam Tran, wife of Vietnamese Ambassador to the U.S. Tran Van Chuong, and mother of Madame Nhu. Kennedy and Lodge discussed the kinds of challenges Lodge was likely to face upon arrival, and how he proposed to deal with the Diem government. Kennedy became more specific when he said, "The time may come, though, we've gotta just have to try to do something about Diem, and I think that's going to be an awfully critical period." While never directly speaking about a "coup," Kennedy signaled that he was willing to accept regime change under certain circumstances. Lodge warned how difficult it could be to control such an event, noting that Madame Nhu's mother believed that she, along with Diem and Nhu, were "all going to be assassinated."
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