John Kennedy
Regarding Ngo Dinh Diem, the Roman Catholic
President of South Vietnam, as insufficiently anti-Communist, the U.S. gave secret assurances of non-interference for
an impending coup d'état.On November 1, 1963, South Vietnamese generals overthrew the Diem government, arresting
and soon killing Diem (though the circumstances of his death were obfuscated). Kennedy sanctioned Diem's overthrow.
One reason to support the coup was a fear that Diem might negotiate a neutralist coalition government which included
Communists, as had occurred in Laos in 1962. Dean Rusk, Secretary of State, remarked "This kind of neutralism...is
tantamount to surrender.During his time in office, Kennedy increased the number of U.S. military in Vietnam from 800
to 16,300. It remains a point of some controversy among historians whether or not Vietnam would have escalated to the
point it did had Kennedy served out his full term and been re-elected in 1964
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