I never staged a coup. They picked me up. Like I say, they forced me to become premier, maybe hoping that by that way, they send me to the electric chair.
From its inception, South Vietnam was only considered to be an outpost in the war against communism.
Americans are big boys. You can talk them into almost anything. Just sit with them for half an hour over a bottle of whiskey and be a nice guy.
After the 1954 Geneva international conference, Vietnam was divided into two parts. On paper, North and South Vietnam were twin countries born at the same moment.
I have been blessed often by Buddha, but equally by America.
South Vietnam had to be built from scratch and, from the very beginning, depended far too much on the Western superpowers. As in the case of a person on public welfare, this dependency, which became greater with each day, was quite difficult to shake.
Through leadership of the fight against French colonialism, Ho Chi Minh had made a name for himself in the international political arena.
If the war has faded into history, democracy's defeat in Vietnam has left deep marks in the consciousness of both nations.
During the Fifties, political and military activities in Vietnam were heavily influenced by the French, who as recent colonial masters, made all-important decisions.
By fighting a limited, defensive war, America permitted the enemy to endlessly re-supply their field armies.
After Watergate, America was a ship without a rudder. Vietnam was left to its own devices, drifting along towards its fate.
By the mid-sixties, the United States had poured more than half a million troops into South Vietnam.
We all know that in war the political and military factors have to complement each other.
If Americans knew how to deal with other people, they could bring peace to the world. Alas, they have not learned enough yet. The true American feels that he is 100 percent welcome anywhere he goes.
The way Americans understand and treat other peoples almost guarantees that the world will suffer more trouble.
And then when they picked me as premiere, I don't think I feel, you know, different. For me, the position mean responsibility, but that's all.
