 The December 1964 South Vietnamese coup took place before dawn on December 19 , 1964 , when the ruling military junta of South Vietnam led by General Nguyễn Khánh dissolved the High National Council ( HNC ) and arrested some of its members . The HNC was an unelected legislative @-@ style civilian advisory body they had created at the request of the United States — South Vietnam 's main sponsor — to give a veneer of civilian rule . The dissolution dismayed the Americans , particularly the ambassador , Maxwell D. Taylor , who engaged in an angry war of words with various generals including Khánh and threatened aid cuts . They were unable to do anything about the fait accompli that had been handed to them , because they strongly desired to win the Vietnam War and needed to support the Army of the Republic of Vietnam . Instead , Taylor 's searing verbal attacks were counterproductive as they galvanized the Vietnamese officers around the embattled Khánh . At the time , Khánh 's leadership was under threat from his fellow generals , as well as Taylor , who had fallen out with him and was seeking his removal . 
 The December 1964 South Vietnamese coup took place before dawn on December 19 , 1964 , when the ruling military junta of South Vietnam led by General Nguyễn Khánh dissolved the High National Council ( HNC ) and arrested some of its members . The HNC was an unelected legislative @-@ style civilian advisory body they <a href='been_done' title='1'><mark>had</mark></a> created at the request of the United States — South Vietnam <a href='null_genetive' title='2'><mark>'s</mark></a>main sponsor — to give a veneer of civilian rule . The dissolution dismayed the Americans , particularly the ambassador , Maxwell D. Taylor , <a href='null_relcl' title='3'><mark>who</mark></a>engaged in an angry war of words with various generals including Khánh and threatened aid cuts . They <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>were</mark></a> unable to do anything about the fait accompli <a href='null_relcl' title='5'><mark>that</mark></a><a href='been_done' title='6'><mark>had</mark></a> been handed to them , because they strongly desired to win the Vietnam War and needed to support the Army of the Republic of Vietnam . Instead , Taylor <a href='null_genetive' title='7'><mark>'s</mark></a>searing verbal attacks <a href='uninflect' title='8'><mark>were</mark></a> counterproductive as they galvanized the Vietnamese officers around the embattled Khánh . At the time , Khánh <a href='null_genetive' title='9'><mark>'s</mark></a>leadership was under threat from his fellow generals , as well as Taylor , <a href='null_relcl' title='10'><mark>who</mark></a><a href='been_done' title='11'><mark>had</mark></a> fallen out with him and was seeking his removal . 
The December 1964 South Vietnamese coup took place b4 dawn on December 19 , 1964 , when the ruling military junta of South Vietnam led by General Nguyễn Khánh dissolved the High National Council ( HNC ) and arrested some of its members . da HNC was an unelected legislative @-@ style civilian advisory body they done created at tdarequest of thdanited States — South Vietnam  main sponsor — to give a veneer of civilian rule . Thedassolution dismayed the Americans , particularly the ambassador , Maxwell D. Taylor , engaged in an angry war of words with various generals including Khánh and threatened aid cuts . They was unable to do anything about the fait accompli done been handed to em , because they strongly desired to win the datnam War and needed to support the Army of the Rdablic of Vietnam . Instead , Taylor  searing verbal attacks was counterproductive as they galvanized the Vidaamese officers around the embattled Khánh . At the timda Khánh  leadership was under threat from his fellow generals , as well as Taylor , done fallen out with him and was seeking his removal .