The coup got under way on the early afternoon of November 1, 1963, just two days after Phillips’s last meeting with Diem. After initially escaping the presidential palace, the two Ngo brothers, Diem and Nhu, arranged to surrender the next day in return for safe passage from the country. Instead, the brothers were led into an armored car, where both were shot to death. Sent to verify their deaths was Lucien Conein. Less than three weeks later, President Kennedy would also be assassinated. By bizarre coincidence, Edward Lansdale had retired from the United States military on the very day the
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