 Following the pagoda raids , the United States terminated funding to Tung 's men because they were used as a political tool rather than against the communists . Along with Diệm and Nhu , Tung was assassinated during the November 1963 coup . Nhu and Tung had been preparing a fake coup and counter @-@ coup in order to give a false demonstration of the regime 's strength . However , the pair were unaware that General Tôn Thất Đính , who was planning the phony operation , was involved in the real coup plot . Đính tricked Tung into sending his men into the countryside , leaving the regime in Saigon without the protection of the special forces . This led to the easy overthrow of the regime . 
