Trần Lệ Xuân: Difference between revisions
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{{Villain_Infobox | {{Villain_Infobox | ||
|Image = Madame Nhu.jpg | |Image = Madame Nhu.jpg | ||
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|alias = The Vietnamese Lucrecia Borgia | |alias = The Vietnamese Lucrecia Borgia | ||
|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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== 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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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: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]] | |||