 After their release , the journalists went to the US embassy in Saigon to complain about their treatment at the hands of Diệm 's officials and asked for US government protection . Their appeals were dismissed , as was a direct appeal to the White House . Through the efforts of US Ambassador Frederick Nolting , the assault charges laid against the journalists were subsequently dropped . Vietnamese Buddhists reacted to the incident by contending that Diệm 's men were planning to assassinate monks , while Madame Nhu repeated earlier claims that the US government had been trying to overthrow her brother @-@ in @-@ law . 
