Her own father went on radio to condemn her comments . A Confucian , Chương said that the regime had alienated " the strongest moral forces " , implying that they had lost the Mandate of Heaven . She responded by calling him a " coward " . Her mother said that " There is an old proverb in my country which means ' one should not make oneself or one 's family naked before the world ' ... I was sick ... Now , nobody can stop her ... She never listened to our advice . " After these comments , the U.S. ambassador , Frederick Nolting , told Diệm that if he did not denounce his sister-in-law 's comment in public , the U.S. would have to stop supporting him , but the president refused to do so , and assailed the monks . In an interview with David Halberstam , Madame Nhu said that it was '' " embarrassing to see people Buddhist leaders so uncultured claiming to be leaders " '' . The U.S. embassy told Diệm that these comments violated an agreement between the Buddhists and his regime to avoid verbal exchanges , but Diệm refused to keep his family 's end of the bargain , saying that his sister-in-law was obliged to expose " extremists " to keep the public informed . In July , the US government rejected a request from her to travel to the United States for a public speaking tour , fearing a public relations disaster . On 3 August , she called the Buddhists " seditious elements who use the most odious Communist tactics to subvert the country . " This occurred after special forces loyal to the Ngôs raided the Xá Lợi Pagoda in Saigon in August . The pagoda was vandalized , monks beaten , and the cremated remains of Thích Quảng Đức , which included a heart which had not disintegrated , were confiscated . Simultaneous raids were carried out across the country , with the Từ Đàm Pagoda in Huế being looted , the statue of Gautama Buddha demolished , and the body of a deceased monk stolen . When the populace came to the defense of the monks , the resulting clashes saw 30 civilians killed and 200 wounded . Notably , President Diem sent his sister-in-law a letter asking her not to talk in public about the clashes as her " barbecue " remarks had been a public relations disaster for his regime , both at home and abroad . Through her paramilitary organization , Madame Nhu claimed that the Buddhists were " controlled by communism " and that they were manipulated by the Americans , calling on Diệm to " expel all foreign agitators whether they wear monks ' robes or not " . A few days after the raids , Madame Nhu described the deadly attacks on the Buddhists as " the happiest day in my life since we crushed the Bình Xuyên in 1955 " , and assailed them as " communists . " The United States , in a position of some leverage owing to the considerable US aid flowing into South Vietnam , in August 1963 wished to give President Diệm a chance to rid himself of both his brother and Madame Nhu . In a cable drafted by Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs , Roger Hilsman , to Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge , Lodge was instructed to advise Diệm of a call for " the removal of the Nhus from the scene . " U.S. President Kennedy supported the message in the cable upon its approval by most of his advisors
raided the Xá Lợi Pagoda
Xá Lợi Pagoda raids
Madame Nhu