Word: minh
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...election became a farce largely because Thieu would brook no opposition. Also the principals, with the possible exception of General Duong Van Minh, who withdrew earlier, maneuvered coldly in pursuit of their private ambitions. Although self-seeking might well be considered a universal disease of politicians, the candidates' actions, judged by Washington logic, made little sense. "It was in their interest, even more than in ours, to have this election go off well," complained a frustrated U.S. diplomat. "We needed it, of course, to help justify our policies. But it is their country. They needed it even more." That...
...eyed sorcerer" or "the icebox." In their view, the American ambassador is shrewd, cool and manipulative, a match for the wiliest Vietnamese politician. He seems, in a word, inscrutable-so much so that a great many Vietnamese believe that Bunker, acting on Richard Nixon's behalf, eased Big Minh and Nguyen Cao Ky out of the presidential race. After all these years, they still do not understand the Yankee gentleman from Yale...
...nothing if not abstract as he fielded the questions of the testy, aggressive reporters, and discussed his reaction to the political trauma of the past fortnight. ∙ The reporters asked many of the right questions, and felt that they received almost none of the right answers. Had he offered Minh and Ky millions of dollars to run? Had he urged Thieu to resign, as Ky suggested? Would he himself soon be retiring...
...though voters could conceivably cast blank ballots as a way of showing disapproval, the President's supporters have ways of assuring desired election results (see following story). By ridding himself of all potential challengers-most notably Vice President Nguyen Cao Ky and retired General Duong Van ("Big") Minh-Thieu had placed himself in a position of power unparalleled in South Viet Nam since the days of the late Ngo Dinh Diem...
Thieu had virtually assured that he would hold power uneasily by the tactics he used in easing his opponents out of the race-starting with his pushing through a stringent election law that eliminated his old enemy, Vice President Ky. That move in turn persuaded Big Minh to withdraw, since he had no hope of winning unless Ky drew off some of Thieu's military support. Faced with the prospect of an uncontested election and Washington's certain displeasure, Thieu blinked once. South Viet Nam's Supreme Court obligingly ruled that Ky's name would...