In a dramatic display of rebellion against the government of South Vietnam, two dissident pilots from the Republic of Vietnam Air Force carried out a bombing raid on the Independence Palace, the presidential residence of Ngô Đình Diệm in Saigon. Major Nguyễn Văn Cử and Captain Nguyễn Thành Trung undertook this bold operation as part of a broader discontent among military figures regarding Diệm's leadership, which was increasingly viewed as autocratic and disconnected from the populace. This act of defiance not only aimed to eliminate Diệm but also intended to galvanize other military personnel who shared similar grievances against his regime.

On that day, the pilots took to the skies and successfully released several bombs over the Independence Palace. However, despite causing structural damage to the building, the attack failed to achieve its primary objective of killing Diệm or significantly destabilizing his government. In the aftermath of the failed assassination attempt, Major Cử and Captain Trung were forced to flee to avoid capture, with the former eventually escaping the country for a brief period. This incident highlighted the growing tensions within Vietnam, where internal dissent was brewing amid external pressures from communist forces.

The attempted bombing ultimately underscored the precarious nature of Diệm's rule, setting the stage for further military coups and uprisings that would plague South Vietnam in the years to come. The event was indicative of the deep divisions within the Vietnamese military and the increasing difficulty Diệm faced in maintaining control over the various factions within the South Vietnamese military and government. It marked a critical moment in South Vietnam’s tumultuous political landscape during a period marked by escalating conflict and the intensifying Vietnam War.