Word: khiem
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Dates: during 1964-1964
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...even as the war heated up, the political ferment in Saigon was calming down. Tensions were eased by the departure of Lieut. General Tran Thien Khiem, the professional coup plotter and former member of South Viet Nam's ruling triumvirate who went into exile last week. Ousted by Premier Khanh in response to the wishes of Air Commodore Nguyen Cao Ky and his clique of young officers, Khiem departed Saigon at midweek. It was a lachrymose leavetaking. Tears gleamed in the eyes of General Duong Van ("Big") Minh as he bussed Khiem on both cheeks, and Khiem himself...
Time to Begin? Saigon seemed quieter after Khiem flew off to Europe. For once, the assorted Buddhists, students, workers and officers seemed content to scheme behind the scenes rather than demonstrate in the streets. At week's end, Khanh announced that the 13 officers and seven civilians behind September's abortive "coupette" would soon go on trial, facing possible death sentences. Then, at a news conference, Khanh proclaimed the power of the South Vietnamese Air Force, which he said could deliver "one, two or three-ton bombs into North Viet Nam or even southern China...
They demanded the removal from Saigon's ruling triumvirate of Lieut. General Tran Thien Khiem, long a friend of Khanh and the man who planned and executed both the coup against Ngo Dinh Diem last November and Khanh's coup against General Duong Van ("Big") Minh in January. With a shrug, Khanh accepted the demands and promptly announced that Khiem would depart immediately for Paris and a protracted tour of countries aiding South Viet Nam in its war against the Viet Cong. Khanh hoped this further accommodation might still the noisy protests of his critics...
...Khiem had his own ideas. His departure was first delayed until Satur day, then until midweek. The ostensible reason: Khiem's astrologer says Wednesday is the best day for a journey. No body in Saigon knew what other events might be deemed propitious by Khiem's stargazer in the days ahead. But if he recommended another attempt at changing the course of government, nobody would be surprised...
...wake of Khanh's departure. Harvard-educated Acting Premier Nguyen Xuan Oanh (known as Jack Owen) had only been going through the motions of governing, in fact wielded no real authority. The "triumvirate" of Khanh, General Duong Van ("Big") Minh and Defense Minister General Tran Thien Khiem, which supposedly replaced Khanh's junta, was not really working. The students were still restive, and the Buddhists were demanding-successfully, as it turned out-that all of their partisans jailed during the demonstrations be freed...