Operation Bravo was a phony coup planned by Ngô Đình Nhu, the younger brother and chief advisor of President Ngô Đình Diệm of South Vietnam. Nhu was aware that there was a plot against the Ngô family, and he intended to have his loyalist forces stage a fake rebellion, to induce dissidents to come into the open, before having his loyalists crush the "rebellion". He hoped that this would reaffirm his family's prestige and power. However, the plan failed as Nhu was unaware that General Tôn Thất Đính, who was to lead the operation, was part of the real uprising. What was intended as Operation Bravo was then incorporated into the real coup and Diem and Nhu were assassinated.
The original article can be found at Operation Bravo and the edit history here.