Chairman Mao Tse-tung’s Statement Opposing Aggression Against Southern Viet Nam and Slaughter of Its People by the U.S.-Ngo Dinh Diem Clique

August 29, 1963

Source: Peking Review, No. 36, September 6, 1963

Transcribed for www.wengewang.org

RECENTLY, the reactionary Ngo Dinh Diem clique in southern Viet Nam has intensified its sanguinary suppression of the Buddhists, students, intellectuals and the mass of the people in the southern part of Viet Nam. The Chinese people feel the deepest indignation at this monstrous crime of the Ngo Dinh Diem clique and vehemently condemn it. President Ho Chi Minh has issued a statement strongly protesting against the criminal acts of the U.S.-Ngo Dinh Diem clique. We, the Chinese people, warmly support the statement of President Ho Chi Minh.

U.S. imperialism and its lackey Ngo Dinh Diem have been pursuing a policy of turning southern Viet Nam into a U.S. colony, of unleashing counterrevolutionary war and of reinforcing the fascist, dictatorial rule. This has compelled the people of various strata in southern Viet Nam to unite on a wide scale and wage a resolute struggle against the U.S.-Ngo Dinh Diem clique.

Setting itself against ail the people of southern Viet Nam, the U.S.-Ngo Dinh Diem clique now finds itself besieged by them. No matter what inhuman weapons U.S. imperialism may use or what ruthless means of suppression the Ngo Dinh Diem clique may employ, the Ngo Dinh Diem regime cannot escape its end in total isolation and disintegration and U.S. imperialism will finally have to get out of southern Viet Nam.

Ngo Dinh Diem is a faithful lackey of U.S. imperialism. However, once a lackey has outlived his usefulness, and is becoming an encumbrance to the carrying out of the U.S. imperialist policy of aggression, the U.S. imperialists will not hesitate to replace him with another lackey. The downfall of Syngman Rhee of south Korea is a case in point. A flunkey who servilely allows himself to be led by the nose by U.S. imperialism will only end up as a sacrifice and be buried along with it.

U.S. imperialism has violated the agreements reached at the first Geneva Conference by obstructing the unification of Viet Nam, openly carrying out armed aggression against southern Viet Nam and engaging in so-called special warfare for many years. It has also violated the agreements of the second Geneva Conference by its flagrant intervention in Laos in an attempt to rekindle the civil war there. Apart from those who are deliberately deceiving the people or are utterly naive, no one will believe that a treaty will make U.S. imperialism lay down its butcher’s knife and suddenly become a Buddha, or behave itself a little belter.

The oppressed people and oppressed nations must not entrust their liberation to the “wisdom” of imperialism and its lackeys. Only by strengthening unity and persevering in their struggle will they triumph. This is what the people of southern Viet Nam have been doing.

The people of southern Viet Nam have won important victories both politically and militarily in their just, patriotic struggle against the U.S.-Ngo Dinh Diem clique. We, the Chinese people, firmly support their just struggle.

I am convinced that through this struggle they will certainly attain the goal of liberating the southern part of Viet Nam and contribute to the peaceful unification of their fatherland.

It is my hope that the working class, the revolutionary people and progressives all over the world will all stand by the people of southern Viet Nam and, in response to the call of President Ho Chi Minh, support the just struggle of the heroic people of the southern part of Viet Nam and oppose aggression and oppression by the counter-revolutionary U.S.-Ngo Dinh Diem clique, so as to save the people there from slaughter; so that they will achieve their complete liberation.

Source: Peking Review, No. 36, September 6, 1963

Transcribed for www.wengewang.org



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