In late August 1963, as the United States moved to oust the South Vietnamese leader it had backed for the past nine years, Charles de Gaulle chose to speak out in favor of a political solution leading to a Vietnam free of outside intervention. American officials, always opposed to an early settlement and possessing an agreement with London to work to prevent one, had seen no reason to feel particularly fearful of the prospect. The pressure in that direction had never been significant. Until now. The Kennedy administration, faced with determined opponents in both Hanoi and Saigon, now would
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