</s>176-10036-10143 2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992 JFK ASSASSINTATION SYSTEM IDENTIFICATION FORM AGENCY : NARA RECORD NUMBER : 176-1006-1013 RECORD SERIES : National Security Files AGENCY FILE NUMBER: AGENCY FILE NUMBER :: ORIGINATOR : CIA FROM : TO : TITLE : Cia Information Report DATE : 9/24/1963 PAGES : 4 SUBJECTS : DOCUMENT TYPE : CLASSIFICATION : RESTRICTIONS : CURRENT STATUS : DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 9 /10/2000 OPENING CRITERIA : COMMENTS : National security Files, Box 200: Vietnam, 9/22/63-10/6/63, CIA COMMENTS: Reports. Box 2

Summary:  
This document is a declassified CIA Information Report dated September 24, 1963, detailing internal discussions within South Vietnam’s political and military leadership regarding potential coup plots against President Ngo Dinh Diem’s regime. The report focuses on interactions between key figures, including Ngo Dinh Nhu (Diem’s brother-in-law and de facto leader), Pham Ngoc Thao (a high-ranking Vietnamese National Army officer), and U.S. officials. It outlines Thao’s claims that Nhu intended to negotiate with the Viet Cong (VC) and implement economic reforms, which Thao believed would destabilize South Vietnam. The report also mentions Thao’s attempts to secure support from the Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF) for a coup, though VNAF officers expressed loyalty to Diem and Nhu.  

Key People:  
- Ngo Dinh Nhu: South Vietnamese political leader and brother-in-law of President Ngo Dinh Diem.  
- Pham Ngoc Thao: High-ranking Vietnamese National Army officer involved in discussions about potential coups.  
- Ambassador John Kenneth Lodge: U.S. ambassador to South Vietnam, referenced in the report.  

Key Locations:  
- Saigon (South Vietnam): Central location for political and military activities discussed.  
- IV Corps Command: Military unit mentioned in context of troop deployments and operations against Viet Cong forces.  

Key Events:  
- Discussions between Thao and Nhu regarding negotiations with the Viet Cong and economic reforms.  
- Thao’s attempts to secure VNAF support for a coup against Diem’s regime.  
- Internal U.S. military and diplomatic assessments of South Vietnamese political stability.  

Key Organizations:  
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA): Originator of the report, monitoring South Vietnam’s political landscape.  
- Vietnamese National Army (VNAF): Military force discussed in relation to coup planning.  
- United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and U.S. military commands (e.g., USMACV, CINCPAC): Mentioned in context of diplomatic and strategic assessments.

JFK Declassified Files

176-10036-10143.pdf

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