Editing Nguyễn Khánh (section)

===Vũng Tàu Charter===
Khánh drafted a new constitution, known as the "[[Vũng Tàu Charter]]",<ref name=mc762>McAllister, p. 762.</ref> which would have augmented his personal power and hamstrung Minh of what authority he had left. However, this only served to weaken Khánh as large demonstrations and riots broke out in the cities, with the Buddhists prominent, calling for an end to the state of emergency and the new constitution.<ref name=mo757/> Thích Trí Quang thought that, as Khánh would not use his power to remove Diệmists, it was merely an expression of megalomania.<ref name=mc762/> Some of the riots were sectarian, resulting in several deaths.<ref>Moyar (2004), p. 758.</ref> Information Ministry buildings and radio stations were set on fire.<ref name=m316>Moyar (2006), p. 316.</ref>

During one protest in which thousands of people were chanting "down with military dictatorship", Khánh confronted the crowd and joined the opposition in their shouting, claiming that he was not what they claimed him to be, rather than cracking down on them.<ref>Moyar (2004), pp. 760–761.</ref> Fearing he could be toppled by the momentum of the protests, Khánh asked Quang, [[Thich Tam Chau|Chau]] and [[Thich Thien Minh|Minh]] to hold talks with him at Vũng Tàu on 24 August. They refused and Khánh had to go to Saigon to try to get them to stop protesting against him, demonstrating his weakness.<ref name=mo761>Moyar (2004), p. 761.</ref> They asked him to repeal the new constitution, reinstate civilian rule, and remove [[Cần Lao Party|Cần Lao]] members from power.<ref name=mo761/> They asked Khánh to announce these measures publicly, else they would organize a widespread movement of passive resistance.<ref name=mo761/> US Ambassador [[Maxwell Taylor]] recommended that Khánh ignore the demands, as he regarded the Buddhist activists as a minority group, but Khánh thought to dampen religious tensions by agreeing to the Buddhist proposals.<ref name=mo761/> Khiêm claimed "Khánh felt there was no choice but to accept, since the influence of Trí Quang was so great that he could not only turn the majority of the people against the government but could influence the effectiveness of the armed forces".<ref name=mc763>McAllister, p. 763.</ref>

Needing support to stay afloat, Khánh released a ''communiqué'' after the meeting, promising to revise the constitution, liberalise the press, permit protests and start special courts to look into past grievances.<ref name=mo762>Moyar (2004), p. 762.</ref> This prompted more protests by activists and Khánh responded with wider concessions, which he convinced the Military Revolutionary Council to assent to. Under this plan, the new constitution would be repealed, and the MRC would dissolve itself. He then paid US$300,000 to Buddhist groups in return for their public endorsement, which Khánh publicly used to highlight his support. In return, Khánh promised to create a National Assembly within a year.<ref name=mo762/> Many senior officers decried what they viewed as a handing of power to the Buddhist leaders, who alleged that the concessions were playing into the hands of neutralists, easing the pressure on communist activities.<ref>Moyar (2004), pp. 762–763.</ref>