Word: nguyens
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...intended to settle in South Viet Nam will be directly related to the negotiations. In hopes of dealing the U.S. another psychological setback comparable to the traumatic Tet attacks, the Communists are reportedly planning a major offensive against South Vietnamese cities (see THE WORLD). Meanwhile, the regime of President Nguyen Van Thieu in Saigon is hag-ridden by uncertainty about the terms on which Washington might agree to end the war. To help calm those jitters, Lyndon Johnson agreed last week to meet Thieu in Hawaii for a two-day conference this coming weekend...
...uncertain reputation in the U.S. Washington, mindful of the predictable demonstrations by antiwar zealots, was cool to the idea of the visit. Eventually, the expected Communist offensive afforded an excuse to Thieu for avoiding a prolonged absence from Viet Nam. Besides, Thieu's running rivalry with Vice President Nguyen Cao Ky made staying close to home a matter of prudence...
...garrison came under siege and heavy artillery bombardment from the North Vietnamese in mid-January, some observers saw an ominous similarity to Dienbienphu. The French base had been overrun in 1954 by another North Vietnamese army under the same commander besieging Khe Sanh, General Vo Nguyen Giap. Khe Sanh thus became a symbol -justifiably or not-of U.S. determination to stick it out under heavy pressure...
Friends fell away. Some were killed in action; others, like Major General Nguyen Ngoc Loan, the fearless, ruthless, but highly effective National Police chief, were wounded in street fighting in Saigon. Two weeks ago, a malfunctioning rocket fired from a U.S. helicopter gunship smashed into a forward command post and in one shattering blow wiped out virtually the whole top level of Saigon's city administration, including four of Ky's most powerful backers. But by far the greatest damage was caused by President Thieu's gradual consolidation of power: without consultation, he fired Premier Nguyen...
...Nguyen Cao Ky is more likely to attempt a coup than to resign, although neither course seems very likely at the moment. He probably believes that time is his best ally. He wants to change his image, move away from the Americans, and mold a thoroughly nationalist look designed to appeal to the masses and the younger generation; in short, to transform the flashy, daredevil flyboy into a sort of Uncle Nguyen-an antiCommunist, anti-Western and South Vietnamese patriot...