Bảo Đại

Bảo Đại (保大) (October 22, 1913 – July 30, 1997) was the last emperor of Vietnam, the thirteenth and last of the Nguyen dynasty.

In 1925 he became puppet emperor of the Empire of Vietnam, a puppet state established by the French in their colony of French Indochina. During World War II, the Vichy Regime, subject to Nazi Germany, allowed the occupation of Indochina by the Japanese Empire, an ally of Germany. After the surrender of Japan, Bảo Đại was overcome by events and had to abdicate, going into exile. The French colonial authorities recovered him in 1949 and appointed him head of state of the United Vietnam, but, after their defeat in the battle of Điện Biên Phủ, he was once again abandoned and went into exile again.

Biography

Early years

He was born Prince Nguyễn Phúc Vĩnh Thụy in Huễ, then the capital of the Vietnam empire. His father was Emperor Khai Dinh. After being educated in France, he was named emperor following the death of his father in 1925, and adopted the name Bảo Đại (although he is also known as Nguyen-Phuoc Thien or Vinh Thuy). His rule was subject to control by France—at the time Vietnam was part of French Indochina.

On March 20, 1934, in the imperial city of Hué, Bảo Đại married Jeanne Marie-Thérèse (Mariette) Nguyen Huu-Hao Thi Lan (1914-1963), who was renamed Hoang Hau Nam Phương. Bảo Đại converted to Catholicism after his wedding to Jeanne. He had five children with her.

Bảo Đại had four other wives, three of them during his marriage to Nam Phương. And he had three more children.

Collaborationism

In 1940 (during World War II), coinciding with the German invasion of France, the Japanese occupied Indochina. Although they did not expel the French, the Japanese controlled politics in parallel.

They promised not to interfere in the court of Hué, but in 1945 they forced Bảo Đại to declare independence from Vietnam. They were defeated by the Allies in August 1945, and the Viet Minh communists, under Hồ Chí Minh, attempted to seize power. Because of relations with the Japanese, Ho persuaded Bảo Đại to finally abdicate on August 25, 1945, and Bảo Đại was appointed "supreme councilor" in the new government in Hanoi.

The situation in the country became extremely violent; Vietnamese factions fought among themselves and against the French. Bảo Đại left the country after a year as a counselor, to live in Hong Kong and China. Clashes between the French and Vietnamese continued until 1954, when the Viet Minh achieved victory at the Battle of Điện Biên Phủ.

The United States, concerned about Hồ Chí Minh's communism, opposed the idea of a Vietnam ruled by Ho. In 1950 France formed a rival Vietnamese government under Bảo Đại in Saigon.

The peace treaty between France and the Viet Minh of 1954, known as the Geneva Conference, divided the country into North and South. Bảo Đại remained head of state of South Vietnam, with the religious Ngô Dình Diem as prime minister.

However, in 1955 Diem held a referendum to oust Bảo Đại from power, proclaim the republic and take control of the south; He had the support of the US for this. CIA member Edward Lansdale was in charge of collaborating with him. The referendum is considered fraudulent and resulted in a suspicious 98% in favor of Diem. Bảo Đại abdicated once again and went into exile in Paris, where he died in 1997.

Quotes

I prefer to be a citizen of a free country rather than emperor of a slave.

Honorary distinctions

Vietnamese honorary distinctions

• Grand Master of the Order of the Annam Dragon.
• Grand Master of the National Order of Vietnam.

Foreign honorary distinctions

• Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Legion of Honour (French Republic, September 10, 1932).
• Knight of First Class of the Most Dear Royal Family Order of Johor [DKI] (Sultanato de Johor, March 21, 1933).
• Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown (Reino de Belgium, 1935).
• Knight of the Most High Order of the Royal House of Chakri (the Kingdom of Thailand, 1939).
• Knight Grand Cross with Necklace of the Order of the Million of Elephants and the White Parasol (Reino de Laos).
• Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Cambodia (Kingdom of Cambodia).
• Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Ouissam Alaouite (Reino de Morocco).

Ancestors