JFK was going to escalate the Viet Nam War...well known fact.
November 1, 1963 JFK instigated a plot to overthrow and kill South Vietnam's Premiere Diem. JFK played politics with American lives in Vietnam, he put his election ahead of American lives. He feared that Diem, who was negotiating with the North, would force Americans out before the 1964 elections. Voice of America broadcasts called for the coup, JFK had cut off pay to the Palace Guard and American advisors were attached to almost every unit that attacked the Presidential Palace. The Viet Cong made huge advances in the resulting confusion. JFK had asked Air Force General Edward Landsdale, an ex-CIA man, to go to Saigon and help "get rid" of Diem (he refused). Lt. Col. Lucien Conein was used instead. The fundamental planning document was the August 30, 1963, memo to Secretary of State Dean Rusk from Roger Hilsman, Assistant Sec. State for Far Eastern Affairs. It said among other things, "We should encourage the coup group to destroy the palace if necessary to gain victory..." and in point 10 it ordered the death of Diem. In 1961 when JFK took office there were 685 US military advisors in Vietnam and in 1963 there were 16,732 (including combat troops) in violation of the 1954 Geneva Conventions and aid had gone up to $400 million per year. Kennedy said "now we have a problem in trying to make our power credible, and Vietnam looks like the place."
In the Summer of 1963, the US had 200 Atlas, Titan and Minuteman missiles, over 100 Polaris missiles and about 1700 nuclear bombers. Russia had about 50 ICBM's and 200 long-range bombers. Our megatonnage was 10 to 1. JFK decided to give away our advantage, hold back our nuclear forces and allow the Russians to catch up on the theory that this would create an equal balance of terror and work for world peace. Kennedy's idea, which turned out to be false, was that if the Soviets caught up that they would then stop their military buildup. This was probably the single most dangerous mistake Kennedy made. |
