Trần Lệ Xuân: Difference between revisions
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{{Villain_Infobox | {{Villain_Infobox | ||
| | |image = Madame Nhu in her thirties (1950s).jpg | ||
|fullname = Trần Lệ Xuân | |fullname = Trần Lệ Xuân | ||
|alias = The Vietnamese Lucrecia Borgia | |alias = The Vietnamese Lucrecia Borgia<br>Madame Nhu | ||
|origin =Hanói, French Indochina | |origin =Hanói, French Indochina | ||
|occupation = First Lady of South Vietnam | |occupation = First Lady of South Vietnam (1955 - 1963) | ||
|type of villain = hedonistic tyrant | |type of villain = hedonistic tyrant | ||
|goals = | |goals = | ||
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|hobby = | |hobby = | ||
}} | }} | ||
{{Quote| | {{Quote|I'll applaud when I see another monk barbecue show; one cannot be responsible for the madness of others.|Trần Lệ Xuân}} | ||
'''Trần Lệ Xuân''' (April 15, 1924 – April 24, 2011), popularly known as '''Madame Ngô Đình Nhu''' or simply '''Madame Nhu''', was considered the First Lady of South Vietnam from 1955 to 1963. She was the wife of [[Ngô Đình Nhu]], brother and chief adviser to President [[Ngô Đình Diệm]]. As Diệm was a lifelong bachelor, and because she and her family lived in the president's Independence Palace, she was considered to be the First Lady. | '''Trần Lệ Xuân''' (April 15, 1924 – April 24, 2011), popularly known as '''Madame Ngô Đình Nhu''' or simply '''Madame Nhu''', was considered the First Lady of South Vietnam from 1955 to 1963. She was the wife of [[Ngô Đình Nhu]], brother and chief adviser to President [[Ngô Đình Diệm]]. As Diệm was a lifelong bachelor, and because she and her family lived in the president's Independence Palace, she was considered to be the First Lady. | ||
== Early years == | == Early years == | ||
Trần Lệ Xuân was born into a wealthy aristocratic family in Hanoi, French Indochina, then part of the French colonial empire. Her given name means "Beautiful Spring". Her paternal grandfather was close to the French colonial administration, while her father, Trần Văn Chương, studied law in France, before marrying into the ruling imperial dynasty. Her mother, Thân Thị Nam Trân, was a granddaughter of Emperor Đồng Khánh and a cousin of Emperor Bảo Đại. Madame Nhu's mother was widely reputed to have had a series of lovers, among them her future son-in-law, Ngô Ðình Nhu. | Trần Lệ Xuân was born into a wealthy aristocratic family in Hanoi, French Indochina, then part of the French colonial empire. Her given name means "Beautiful Spring". Her paternal grandfather was close to the French colonial administration, while her father, Trần Văn Chương, studied law in France, before marrying into the ruling imperial dynasty. Her mother, Thân Thị Nam Trân, was a granddaughter of Emperor Đồng Khánh and a cousin of Emperor [[Bảo Đại]]. Madame Nhu's mother was widely reputed to have had a series of lovers, among them her future son-in-law, Ngô Ðình Nhu. | ||
A mediocre student, Madame Nhu dropped out of Lycée Albert Sarraut, a prestigious French school in Hanoi. She spoke French at home and could not write in Vietnamese; as an adult, she drafted her speeches in French and had them translated into Vietnamese. She gained a reputation in her youth as a tomboy who loved ballet and piano, once dancing solo at Hanoi's National Theatre. She had an older sister and a younger brother, Trần Văn Khiêm, and was known for beating him up in their childhood. | A mediocre student, Madame Nhu dropped out of Lycée Albert Sarraut, a prestigious French school in Hanoi. She spoke French at home and could not write in Vietnamese; as an adult, she drafted her speeches in French and had them translated into Vietnamese. She gained a reputation in her youth as a tomboy who loved ballet and piano, once dancing solo at Hanoi's National Theatre. She had an older sister and a younger brother, Trần Văn Khiêm, and was known for beating him up in their childhood. | ||
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== Rise to power == | == Rise to power == | ||
Madame Nhu's brother-in-law, Diệm, had been appointed Prime Minister of the State of Vietnam by her mother's distant cousin, Emperor Bảo Đại, after the French had been defeated at the Battle of Điện Biên Phủ. At the start of 1955, French Indochina was dissolved, leaving Diệm in temporary control of the south. | Madame Nhu's brother-in-law, Diệm, had been appointed Prime Minister of the State of Vietnam by her mother's distant cousin, Emperor Bảo Đại, after the French had been defeated at the Battle of Điện Biên Phủ. At the start of 1955, French Indochina was dissolved, leaving Diệm in temporary control of the south. | ||
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On June 8, 1963, Madame Nhu released a statement through the Women's Solidarity Movement accusing the Buddhists of neutralism, effectively accusing them of being communist collaborators. It then implored "bonzes of good faith" to stop helping the communists, otherwise Vietnamese Buddhism would be seen as a “small anti-nationalist branch of a dubious international association, exploited and controlled by communism and oriented to the sowing of the disorder of neutralism” and calling on Diem to "immediately expel all foreign agitators whether they wear monks' robes or not." She made another attack on the United States, calling on Diệm to "keep vigilance on all others, particularly those inclined to take Viet Nam for [a] satellite of [a] foreign power or organization." | On June 8, 1963, Madame Nhu released a statement through the Women's Solidarity Movement accusing the Buddhists of neutralism, effectively accusing them of being communist collaborators. It then implored "bonzes of good faith" to stop helping the communists, otherwise Vietnamese Buddhism would be seen as a “small anti-nationalist branch of a dubious international association, exploited and controlled by communism and oriented to the sowing of the disorder of neutralism” and calling on Diem to "immediately expel all foreign agitators whether they wear monks' robes or not." She made another attack on the United States, calling on Diệm to "keep vigilance on all others, particularly those inclined to take Viet Nam for [a] satellite of [a] foreign power or organization." | ||
[[File:Thích Quảng Đức self-immolation.jpg|left|thumb|The famous Monk Thích Quảng Đức]] | |||
Madame Nhu publicly mocked Thích Quảng Đức, who performed a self-immolation on 11 June 1963, in a crowded Saigon street to protest against the shooting of Buddhists by Diệm's regime. Nhu labelled it a "barbecue" and stated, "Let them burn and we shall clap our hands." She further offered to provide more fuel and matches for the Buddhists. Historian Howard Jones said that these comments "all but put the finishing touch on the Diệm regime." Her comments further stoked open infighting with her parents. Her father went on radio to condemn her comments, on the other part, President Diệm advised you to avoid speaking to the international media based on their offensive comments. A Confucian, Chương said that the regime had alienated "the strongest moral forces," implying that they had lost the mandate of heaven. She responded by calling him a "coward." Her mother said that "There is an old proverb in my country which means 'one should not make oneself or one's family naked before the world'... I was sick... Now, nobody can stop her... She never listened to our advice." | Madame Nhu publicly mocked Thích Quảng Đức, who performed a self-immolation on 11 June 1963, in a crowded Saigon street to protest against the shooting of Buddhists by Diệm's regime. Nhu labelled it a "barbecue" and stated, "Let them burn and we shall clap our hands." She further offered to provide more fuel and matches for the Buddhists. Historian Howard Jones said that these comments "all but put the finishing touch on the Diệm regime." Her comments further stoked open infighting with her parents. Her father went on radio to condemn her comments, on the other part, President Diệm advised you to avoid speaking to the international media based on their offensive comments. A Confucian, Chương said that the regime had alienated "the strongest moral forces," implying that they had lost the mandate of heaven. She responded by calling him a "coward." Her mother said that "There is an old proverb in my country which means 'one should not make oneself or one's family naked before the world'... I was sick... Now, nobody can stop her... She never listened to our advice." During another conference in the United States, American civilians attacked her by throwing eggs at her. | ||
After these comments, the U.S. ambassador, Frederick Nolting, told Diệm that if he did not denounce his sister-in-law's comment in public, the Americans would have to stop supporting him, but he refused to do so, and instead assailed the monks. | After these comments, the U.S. ambassador, Frederick Nolting, told Diệm that if he did not denounce his sister-in-law's comment in public, the Americans would have to stop supporting him, but he refused to do so, and instead assailed the monks. | ||
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Madame Nhu departed South Vietnam on September 9 in an expedition that brought widespread international scorn to her family's regime. She predicted "a triumphant lecture tour." | Madame Nhu departed South Vietnam on September 9 in an expedition that brought widespread international scorn to her family's regime. She predicted "a triumphant lecture tour." | ||
Madame Nhu would leave on September 17 for the Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting in Yugoslavia, followed by a trip to Italy and possibly to the United States, where she had an invitation to speak before the Overseas Press Club of New York. | Madame Nhu would leave on September 17 for the Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting in Yugoslavia, followed by a trip to Italy and possibly to the United States, where she had an invitation to speak before the Overseas Press Club of New York. | ||
Madame Nhu's comments were such that US President John F. Kennedy became personally concerned. He asked his advisors to find means of having Diệm gag her. McGeorge Bundy thought her comments were so damaging that it would only be acceptable for Ngô Đình Diệm to remain in power if she were out of the picture. The National Security Council deemed her a threat to U.S. security, and told the then United States Ambassador to South Vietnam, Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. to seek her permanent removal from South Vietnam. | Madame Nhu's comments were such that US President John F. Kennedy became personally concerned. He asked his advisors to find means of having Diệm gag her. McGeorge Bundy thought her comments were so damaging that it would only be acceptable for Ngô Đình Diệm to remain in power if she were out of the picture. The National Security Council deemed her a threat to U.S. security, and told the then United States Ambassador to South Vietnam, Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. to seek her permanent removal from South Vietnam. | ||
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In Madame Nhu's first destination, Belgrade, she said that "President Kennedy, is a politician, and when he hears a loud opinion speaking in a certain way, he tries to appease it somehow", referring to the opposition to her family's rule. | In Madame Nhu's first destination, Belgrade, she said that "President Kennedy, is a politician, and when he hears a loud opinion speaking in a certain way, he tries to appease it somehow", referring to the opposition to her family's rule. | ||
The issue resulted in an awkward confrontation when U.S. Defense Secretary Robert McNamara and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Maxwell Taylor, traveled to Vietnam for a fact-finding mission about the progress of the war. | The issue resulted in an awkward confrontation when U.S. Defense Secretary Robert McNamara and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Maxwell Taylor, traveled to Vietnam for a fact-finding mission about the progress of the war. | ||
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== Life in exile == | == Life in exile == | ||
The military government of Vietnam under General Dương Văn Minh confiscated all of the property in Saigon that belonged to Madame Nhu and her family, and she was not allowed to return to South Vietnam. She went to Rome briefly before moving permanently to France with her children. Her daughter, Lệ Thủy, died in 1967, at age 22, in an automobile accident in Longjumeau, France. | The military government of Vietnam under General [[Dương Văn Minh]] confiscated all of the property in Saigon that belonged to Madame Nhu and her family, and she was not allowed to return to South Vietnam. She went to Rome briefly before moving permanently to France with her children. Her daughter, Lệ Thủy, died in 1967, at age 22, in an automobile accident in Longjumeau, France. | ||
On November 2, 1986, Madame Nhu charged the United States for hounding her family during the arrest of her younger brother, Trần Văn Khiêm, who was charged in the strangling deaths of their parents, Trần Văn Chương and Nam Tran Chuong in their Washington, D.C., home. | On November 2, 1986, Madame Nhu charged the United States for hounding her family during the arrest of her younger brother, [[Trần Văn Khiêm]], who was charged in the strangling deaths of their parents, Trần Văn Chương and Nam Tran Chuong in their Washington, D.C., home. | ||
In the 1990s, the former first lady of South Vietnam was reportedly living on the French Riviera and charging the press for interviews.<sup>[''citation needed'']</sup> She has been listed in biographical publications as recently as 2001. | In the 1990s, the former first lady of South Vietnam was reportedly living on the French Riviera and charging the press for interviews.<sup>[''citation needed'']</sup> She has been listed in biographical publications as recently as 2001. | ||
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[[Category:Totalitarians]] | [[Category:Totalitarians]] | ||
[[Category:Corrupt Officials]] | [[Category:Corrupt Officials]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Extravagant]] | ||
[[Category:Wrathful]] | [[Category:Wrathful]] | ||
[[Category:Deceased]] | [[Category:Deceased]] | ||
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[[Category:Sadists]] | [[Category:Sadists]] | ||
[[Category:Cheater]] | [[Category:Cheater]] | ||
[[Category:Adulterers]] | |||
[[Category:Perverts]] | |||
[[Category:Femme Fatale]] | |||
[[Category:Hypocrites]] | |||
[[Category:Control Freaks]] | |||
[[Category:Oppressors]] | |||
[[Category:Vietnam]] | |||
[[Category:Cold war villains]] | |||
[[Category:Wealthy]] | |||
[[Category:Xenophobes]] | |||
[[Category:Elitist]] | |||
[[Category:Liars]] | |||
[[Category:Arrogant]] | |||
[[Category:Cult Leader]] | |||
[[Category:God Wannabe]] | |||
[[Category:Jingoists]] | |||
[[Category:Dimwits]] | |||