Before dawn on January 30, 1964, General
Nguyễn Khánh ousted the military junta led by General
Dương Văn Minh from the leadership of
South Vietnam without firing a shot. It came less than three months after Minh's junta had themselves come to power in a
bloody coup against then President
Ngô Đình Diệm. The coup was bloodless and took less than a few hours—after power had been seized Minh's aide and bodyguard, Major
Nguyễn Văn Nhung was arrested and summarily executed.