nov 2, 1963 - Ngo Dinh Diem is assassinated by his own generals

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Part of a coup that is carried out with the silent support of U.S. officials. Ngo’s violent excesses when dealing with South Vietnam’s majority Buddhist population led the U.S. to withdraw its patronage of him. At this point approximately 16,000 U.S. military personnel are in Vietnam, and 200 have been killed

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