Tran Van Chuong
Encyclopedia
Trần Văn Chương was South Vietnam
's ambassador to the United States in the early 1960s and the father of the country's de facto
first lady
, Madame Nhu (1924-2011).
, the brother of South Vietnam's first President, Ngô Ðình Diệm
.
Chuong's family alliances enabled him to rise from being a member of a small law practice in the Cochin-Chinese (South Vietnam
ese) town of Bạc Liêu in the 1920s to become Vietnam's first Foreign Secretary under his wife's cousin Emperor Bảo Đại
, while Japan occupied Vietnam during World War II. He eventually became South Vietnam's ambassador to the United States, but resigned in protest in 1963, denouncing his government's anti-Buddhist policies.
led by General Dương Văn Minh
. His daughter, Ngô Ðình Nhu's wife, Madame Nhu (1924-2011), was in Beverly Hills, California
at the time of the coup.
. On 24 July 1986, they were allegedly strangled by their son, Tran Van Khiem
, at their home. The remains of Chuong and his wife were buried at Rock Creek Cemetery
in Washington, D.C.
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
's ambassador to the United States in the early 1960s and the father of the country's de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
first lady
First Lady
First Lady or First Gentlemanis the unofficial title used in some countries for the spouse of an elected head of state.It is not normally used to refer to the spouse or partner of a prime minister; the husband or wife of the British Prime Minister is usually informally referred to as prime...
, Madame Nhu (1924-2011).
Family life
He married Thân Thị Nam Trân (died 24 July 1986), who was a member of the extended Vietnamese royal family. Her mother was Princess Nhu Phien, a daughter of Emperor Đồng Khánh; her father was Than Trong Hue, who became Vietnam's minister for national education. They had a son and three daughters, including Lệ Xuân, who became the wife of Ngô Ðình NhuNgo Dinh Nhu
Ngô Ðình Nhu was the younger brother and chief political advisor of South Vietnam's first president, Ngô Ðình Diệm. Nhu was widely regarded as the architect of the Ngô family's nepotistic and autocratic rule over South Vietnam from 1955 to 1963...
, the brother of South Vietnam's first President, Ngô Ðình Diệm
Ngo Dinh Diem
Ngô Đình Diệm was the first president of South Vietnam . In the wake of the French withdrawal from Indochina as a result of the 1954 Geneva Accords, Diệm led the effort to create the Republic of Vietnam. Accruing considerable U.S. support due to his staunch anti-Communism, he achieved victory in a...
.
Chuong's family alliances enabled him to rise from being a member of a small law practice in the Cochin-Chinese (South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
ese) town of Bạc Liêu in the 1920s to become Vietnam's first Foreign Secretary under his wife's cousin Emperor Bảo Đại
Bảo Đài
Bảo Đài is a commune and village in Lục Nam District, Bac Giang Province, in northeastern Vietnam.-References:...
, while Japan occupied Vietnam during World War II. He eventually became South Vietnam's ambassador to the United States, but resigned in protest in 1963, denouncing his government's anti-Buddhist policies.
South Vietnam coup d'état
On 1 November 1963, Chuong's son-in-law Ngô Ðình Nhu and President Ngô Ðình Diệm were assassinated in a coup d'étatCoup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
led by General Dương Văn Minh
Duong Van Minh
Minh was born on 16 February 1916 in Mỹ Tho Province in the Mekong Delta, the son of a wealthy landowner who served in a prominent position in the Finance Ministry of the French colonial administration...
. His daughter, Ngô Ðình Nhu's wife, Madame Nhu (1924-2011), was in Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills is an affluent city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a population of 34,109 at the 2010 census, up from 33,784 as of the 2000 census, it is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities. Beverly Hills and the neighboring city of West Hollywood are together...
at the time of the coup.
Death
Chuong and his wife remained in the United States in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. On 24 July 1986, they were allegedly strangled by their son, Tran Van Khiem
Tran Van Khiem
Trần Văn Khiêm was the younger brother of Madame Ngô Đình Nhu, the former First Lady of South Vietnam, and a Vietnamese politician and public servant.Khiêm was a press officer for South Vietnamese President Ngô Đình Diệm....
, at their home. The remains of Chuong and his wife were buried at Rock Creek Cemetery
Rock Creek Cemetery
Rock Creek Cemetery — also Rock Creek Church Yard and Cemetery — is an cemetery with a natural rolling landscape located at Rock Creek Church Road, NW, and Webster Street, NW, off Hawaii Avenue, NE in Washington, D.C.'s Michigan Park neighborhood, near Washington's Petworth neighborhood...
in Washington, D.C.
External links
- "Former Saigon Envoy And Wife Found Dead"
- "The Queen Bee", Time Magazine