The relationship between Saigon and Washington had been under strain in view of differences that existed inmany key aspects of policy, and strategy, manifested at many levels of human interaction. The alliance had been in"trial and error" mode, in view of embarrassing gaffes and diplomatic bumps on the learning curve of bothsides. The alliance had in fact been founded on the assumption that both sides share the same vital interest, anassumption correct on an abstract, conceptual level. In implementing the policy on a human level, however, thecultural complexity of various geographical areas in Vietnam proved overwhelming for State Departmentofficials, especially at upper levels. On the other side, their Vietnamese counterparts encountered similarfrustrations in dealing with their American partners. With great effort to overcome these obstacles, both sides inthe alliance tried to smooth out differences and ameliorate the troubled relationship. Unfortunately, as will beshown in Chapter 1, political distractions in diplomatic relations caused multifaceted frictions, and eventualdegeneration into a disastrous crisis, one that ruptured the first Republic and led to the death of President NgôĐình Diệm and two of his brothers...