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#viet

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Dag-Rune Z
Tranquility, Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi

A quiet spot in a big city.

It is the most famous city lake in Hanoi, Hoan Kiem Lake, and it offers peace too. Even if the rest of the area is bustling with activity in the evening.

The city lake of Hanoi are one of my favorites in Asia, particular in the evening when people are using it as a social arena. Both by locals and visitors. It is a place to meet, greet, eat and drink, and to read, quietly observe or seeking inner peace. The park and the lake is big enough even for rather peaceful activities.

The area around the lake is already used for morning classes and individuals doing Tai Chi.

And now meditating people is adding to their numbers mornings and evening.

The concept of meditating in public spots has been on the rise the later years, according to local media.

https://e.vnexpress.net/news/life/trend/vietnamese-take-increasingly-to-navel-gazing-4201820.html

Hogan Kiem Lake is a must visit in the center of classic Hanoi, the capital of modern Viet Nam. Both day and evening.


#hoankiemlake #Viet #Nam #2012CE #hoan #kiem #lake #awesome #visitvietnam #citylife #City #Evening #nightfall #nightphoto #yoga #meditation #peaceful #tranquility #citylight #citypark #bokeh #hanoi #Vietnam #capitalcity #viet #nam #people #tranquility #peace #friendly #zen #meditation #eveningshot #city#Nikon #NikonD800 #D800 #Nikkor #85mm #f14 #f1,4
Photo shows a man in white shirt sitting in meditation pose on the low wall surrounding Hoan Kiem city lake. In the background is the lake water disturbed by evening breeze, and in the background on the other side of the lake there are bokeh-typical shapes of colourful lights and buildings. The mans position is framed by low hanging green branches of trees on both sides. He sits on some sort of lightly coloured plastic mat, and his sneakers are placed neatly together to the right. It is a photo taken just after sunset, and the artificial light on the man is soft warm, while the background is a colder blue hue.
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Public
Ms. Que Banh

Nguyễn Thị Bình is a granddaughter of the Nationalist leader Phan Chu Trinh. She grew up in a land that had been under French rule since 1858. The country’s resources were plundered, & the people exploited as cheap labour & reduced to grinding poverty. So determined were the French to maintain their colonial hold at any cost, they collaborated in power-sharing with Japanese #fascist #occupiers who brought horror & starvation from 1940-1945.

Despite this, led by the #VietMinh Front, people of Vietnam triumphed in the #AugustRevolution of 1945 & the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam (DRV) was declared on September 2nd. Democratic elections took place in January 1946 but French troops, with the open support of the US & Britain, attacked the new Viet Minh administration in the south of the country & the #WarOfResistance against #France began.

Binh studied French at Lycée Sisowath in Cambodia & worked as a teacher during the #French #colonisation of Vietnam. She joined #VietnamCommunistParty in 1948. Upon joining, she immediately began work as a #grassroots #AntiColonial organiser. From 1945-1951, she took part in intellectual protest movements against French #colonists. She was arrested & jailed between 1951-1953 in #Saigon by the French #colonial authority in Vietnam. She was repeatedly interrogated under torture & sentenced to death but was reprieved & released in very poor health in 1954.

Upon release from prison, Binh went north to work in #Hanoi for the National #WomensUnion. Her job took her to many localities where she witnessed first-hand the impact of #colonialism & the French War on ordinary people & especially women & children.

1954 was a year of victory for the Vietnamese army. The defeated French were forced to sign the #GenevaAccords recognising the independence, sovereignty & unity of Vietnam. The country was temporarily split in two at the 17th parallel, with the French moving to the south from which they would withdraw, while the Viet Minh went to the north. A general election for the government of a united country was to follow within 2 years.

But it never happened. The #USA came centre stage to ensure that the Accords were never implemented. Driven by strategic interests in the region, it made sure that Vietnam stayed divided – preventing an election that would have swept Ho Chi Minh to power with 80% support, while bankrolling & controlling the reactionary #regime of Diem-Nhu south of the 17th parallel. This regime violently suppressed all opposition, executing of thousands of Viet Minh supporters & condemning hundreds of thousands to concentration camps and prisons.

In response, the NLF (for liberation of South Vietnam & unification) was formed in 1960. Nguyen Thi Chau Sa was assigned to the Foreign Affairs Section of its Re-unification Committee & given the name Nguyen Thi Binh (Peace). From 1962 onwards, her high-profile diplomatic work, took her across the world. She represented the aspirations of the people of Vietnam in every country & forum she visited, while the world’s strongest #imperialist power made all-out war on her small country.

During the #VietnamWar, she became a member of the #Vietcong Central Committee and a vice-chairperson of the South Vietnamese #WomensLiberation Association. In 1969 she was appointed foreign minister of the Provisional #Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam. A fluent French speaker, Bình played a major role in the #ParisPeaceAccords - an agreement that was supposed to end the war & restore peace in Vietnam.

She was expected to be replaced by a male Vietcong representative after preliminary talks, but became one of the group's most visible international public figures. During this time, she was famous for representing Vietnamese women with her elegant & gracious style, and was referred to by the media as "Madame Bình". She was also referred to as the "Viet Cong Queen" by Western media.

After the war, she was appointed Minister of Education of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam from 1982-1986; the first female minister ever in the history of Vietnam. Binh was a member of the Central Committee of Vietnam's Communist Party from 1987-1992. She was the Deputy Chair of the Party's Central Foreign Affairs Commission & Chair of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs Committee. The National Assembly elected her twice to position of Vice President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam for the terms 1992–1997 & 1997–2002.

Bình has authored several op-eds, including a one on the state newspaper Nhân Dân in which she voiced concerns that the current personnel policy of the Communist Party of Vietnam have allowed some "incompetent and opportunistic" individuals to enter the party's apparatus. She also criticized the Party's focus on increasing membership at the expense of "quality."

From March 2009-2014, she served as a member of the support committee of #RussellTribunal on #Palestine.

Madame Bình became a source of inspiration & namesake for Madame Binh Graphics Collective, a #RadicalLeft all-women poster, printmaking, & street art collective based in NYC from 1970s-1980s.
Many Americans in the #AntiWar movement were proud to wear T-shirts printed with the portrait of "Madame Binh". By then, she had become a symbol for female soldiers of the legitimacy of Vietnam's efforts.

Madame Bình has been awarded many prestigious awards & honours, including the Order of Ho Chi Minh & Resistance Order (First Class). In 2021, President of Vietnam Nguyễn Xuân Phúc awarded her the 75-year Party Membership Commemorative Medal.
To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, the Government of Vietnam commissioned the official portraits for 12 former foreign ministers from 1945-2020. Nguyễn Thị Bình was included among them as the only South Vietnamese foreign minister & the only woman.

Ref: Nguyen Thi Binh". Northeastern Dictionary of Women's Biography (3rd ed.). Boston: Northeastern University Press. 1999. ISBN 978-1-55553-421-9

Ref: Triantafillou, Eric (3 May 2012). "Graphic Uprising". The Brooklyn Rail. 

Ref: russelltribunalonpalestine.com

Ref: Hy V. Luong (2003), Postwar Vietnam: dynamics of a transforming society, Rowman & Littlefield, ISBN 0847698653

Signature of Madame Bình on her capacity as Foreign Minister of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam in a diplomatic document co-signed by Nguyễn Duy Trinh, her counterpart from the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam)
Black and white photo of Nguyễn Thị Bình (centre-left) with Nguyễn Thị Định alongside other "Long-Haired Army" leaders (Viet Cong women).
3 black-and-white photographs set against a light beige background. The left image presents a close-up of Madame Binh in traditional clothing with soft lighting emphasizing her features. The center photograph features a group of three people, with Binh & a female comrade, prominently displayed; they are positioned outside a building with decorative architecture. The right image shows Binh speaking at a press conference, surrounded by multiple microphones, with additional artistic elements and a map of Vietnam visible in the background.
#AsianMastodon#Vietnam#VietnameseRevolutionaries
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Ms. Que Banh

Nguyễn Thị Bình (born 26 May 1927), also known as Madame Bình & Mother of Vietnam, is a South #Vietnamese #revolutionary leader, #diplomat & #politician. She became internationally known for her role as the #VietCong (NLF)'s chief diplomat & leading its delegation to the Paris Peace Conference. She later served in the government of reunified Vietnam after the Fall of Saigon & became the country's Vice President in 1992. She is the first woman in Vietnamese history to be appointed a cabinet minister.

Nguyen Thi Binh was the only woman to sign the Paris Agreement on Ending the War & Restoring Peace in Vietnam on 27th January 1973. South Viet Nam was liberated on 30th April 1975 & the two parts of Vietnam were finally brought together in 1976 as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

In her memoirs, she said: “My own life, in concert with the life of our nation, has helped me understand that seizing political power and demanding independence were extremely difficult, particularly when opposing colonialists and imperialists. However, maintaining political power and building a nation…is much more difficult.”

At Hanoi Peace Conference in November 2022, she stated:

“Having suffered numerous sacrifices, pain and loss during decades of struggle against foreign aggression and for peace, independence and freedom, the people of Vietnam deeply appreciate the value of peace,” she told those gathered. Warning that the danger of wars, including a nuclear catastrophe, is greater than ever before, she stressed the vital importance of “rallying and uniting peace forces and movements” to halt aggression and build a world of peace and justice for all.

Ref: Nguyen Thi Binh. Northeastern Dictionary of Women's Biography (3rd ed.). Boston: Northeastern University Press. 1999. ISBN 978-1-55553-421-9.

Ref: Brigham, Robert K. (2011). "Nguyen Thi Binh". The Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History (2nd ed.). ISBN 978-1-85109-961-0

Ref: Hy V. Luong (2003), Postwar Vietnam: dynamics of a transforming society, Rowman & Littlefield, ISBN 0847698653

Nguyen Thi Binh smiling brightly while holding a microphone, with a blurred background showing several men partially visible. The composition highlights her positive expression and engagement with journalists. Text in the image indicates the date and context of the event as part of the Vietnam Peace Talks in Paris, July 1, 1971. The image has a slightly grainy texture typical of press photographs from that era. Black and white photo.
High-contrast black-and-white photograph capturing a rally in an urban square, densely populated with people. The composition centers on Nguyen Thi Binh, prominently positioned in the foreground, waving and smiling while holding a bouquet of flowers. She wears a dark sweater and a patterned scarf. Surrounding her, numerous photographers point their cameras, emphasizing the moment's significance. Behind the crowd, historical buildings are visible, with large banners demanding an end to the Vietnam War, enhancing the rally's political context. The image conveys a sense of activism and public engagement.
A group of political leaders is gathered in a formal setting, with Nguyen Thi Binh, in a traditional ao dai, signing peace accord at the table. The table displays a nameplate reading "GOUVERNEMENT RÉVOLUTIONNAIRE PROVISOIRE DE LA RÉPUBLIQUE DU SUD-VIETNAM." Surrounding them are various men, some in formal clothing, looking on attentively, while others stand in the background, creating a serious atmosphere.
3 grayscale portraits of Nguyen Thi Binh, arranged in layers. The foreground image shows her smiling and raising her right hand, capturing a moment of greeting or celebration. The middle background image features her in profile, with a solemn expression, while the top background shows her looking upwards, wearing glasses. The overall texture of the image has a light beige backdrop with faint artistic floral illustrations at the bottom, enhancing the emotional tone of the piece.
#AsianMastodon#Vietnam#VietnameseRevolutionaries
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Ms. Que Banh

Nguyễn Quyền (1869–1941) was a #Vietnamese #scholar & #AntiColonial #revolutionary #activist who advocated independence from #French #colonial rule. He was a contemporary of Phan Bội Châu & Phan Chu Trinh & one of Tonkin Free School's founders.

"The more I read the more I become aware that the things we studied, our examination system, were wrong – indeed the real reasons for our having lost our country. From that point on I was determined to seize upon our country's literature and on modern learning to awaken our citizenry."

Quyen advocated the modernisation of Vietnam's #education system. Around 1903 or 1904, Quyen met Tang Bat Ho, who had returned from his travels abroad & talked extensively about the modernisation of Japan. In 1904 he met with Phan Bội Châu, but Quyen had little in common with Chau's ideology of using violence to achieve independence. Quyen went on the work with Lương Văn Can & Le Dai in setting up the Dong Kinh Thuc Nghia, which sought to strengthen the Vietnamese people & thereby the likelihood of independence through the training of a new, more modern generation of scholars.

In 1908, Quyen was arrested in a general crackdown by French authorities and sent to jail on Côn Lôn island. He died in the prison which was infamous for torturing political prisoners.

Ref: Marr, David G. (1970). Vietnamese Anticolonialism, 1885–1925. Berkeley: University of California. ISBN 0-520-01813-3.

18th century painted portrait of Vietnamese scholar Nguyễn Quyền in Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum in Hanoi.
Portrait of Nguyễn Quyền. Black and white photo.
#AsianMastodon#Vietnam#VietnameseRevolutionaries
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Ms. Que Banh

Nguyen Huu Tho (July 10, 1910 - Dec. 24, 1996) was the chairman of the National Liberation Front #NLF - the South Vietnamese political organization formed in 1960 in opposition to the U.S. backed Saigon government.

He was born in the same Chinatown district (Cho Lon in Saigon) that my patriarch family lived & where we had our large incense factory.

The son of a rubber-plantation manager who was later killed during the First #Indochina War (1946–54), Nguyen Huu Tho studied law in Paris in the 1930s. Returning to #Saigon, he set up practice, remaining politically inactive until 1949, when he led student demonstrations against the French; he also organized protests in 1950 against the patrolling of the southern Vietnamese coast by U.S. warships. He was imprisoned & won popular acclaim for his prolonged hunger strike in protest of the war.

After the Geneva Agreements divided Vietnam into northern & southern zones in 1954, Tho cooperated with the southern regime of Ngo Dinh Diem until he was arrested for advocating nationwide elections on reunification. Except for a short period in 1958, Tho remained in prison from 1954-1961, when he escaped with aid of some of his anti-Diem followers. These men, who had recently formed the NLF, made Tho, a noncommunist, provisional & then full-time chairman of the NLF.

In 1965, he delivered an anti-imperialist speech, a booklet was later published in English, entitled SPEECH. His title was given as: President of the Presidium of the Consultative Council of the South Viet Nam National Front for Liberation on the 5th founding anniversary of the NFL.

Tho served as a figurehead leader. Real power in the NLF was held by its military arm, the #VietCong & by veteran communists who reported directly to the North Vietnamese leadership. Tho helped attract a wide spectrum of South Vietnamese supporters to the NLF. In June 1969, the NLF established a Provisional Revolutionary Government with Huynh Tan Phat as president & Nguyen Huu Tho as chairman of its advisory council. The PRG became the government of South Vietnam in April 1975, when Saigon government’s troops surrendered to the North Vietnamese & PRG forces. Tho was made a vice president of Vietnam in 1976, a post he held until 1980, when he became acting president. In 1981, Tho was made vice president of the Council of State & chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly.

Thọ was awarded the Lenin Peace Prize (1983–84).

Between 1988 & 1994, he was chairman of the Vietnamese Fatherland Front (Mặt trận Tổ quốc Việt Nam), an umbrella organization for mass organizations in the country.

Ref: Jacques Dalloz : Dictionnaire de la Guerre d'Indochine, Paris, 2006, S. 171
Christopher E. Goscha : Historical Dictionary of the Indochina War (1945–1954), Kopenhagen, 2011, S. 323

Ref: Kiernan, Ben. How Pol Pot Came to Power. London: Verso, 1985. pp. 170-71.

Ref: Nghia M. Vo - Saigon: A History (2011)

Nguyễn Hữu Thọ and the Phú Yên Province guerrillas prior to the formation of the Viet Cong. Black and white photo.
Nguyễn Hữu Thọ in 1932. Black and white portrait photo.
Nguyễn Hữu Thọ in his senior years. Black and white portrait photo.
#AsianMastodon#Vietnam#VietnameseRevolutionaries
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Ms. Que Banh

Sentenced to death, Trỗi got a reprieve after the FALN, a #Venezuelan #MarxistLeninist #guerrilla group, kidnapped US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Michael Smolen in revenge for Trỗi's sentence. The group threatened to kill Smolen if Trỗi was executed. Smolen was eventually released unharmed, and Trỗi was shot by firing squad shortly thereafter in Chí Hòa Prison.

In the West, Trỗi's arrest went largely unreported. Major news media did not report on Trỗi at all until the #FALN kidnapping episode. His anonymity persisted after his execution, despite the honors bestowed upon him in the #EasternBloc. Apart from advocacy by #revolutionaries like the Weather Underground & a brief mention in Abbie Hoffman's Steal This Book (1971) as a "Vietnamese hero", Trỗi is still rarely acknowledged in Western accounts of the #VietnamWar.

Many cities in Vietnam have named major streets after him. In #HồChíMinh City, the road upon which McNamara traveled ,& where Trỗi planned to assassinate him is named Nguyen Van Troi Boulevard & a memorial park, Bia tưởng niệm Anh Hung Liet Si Nguyễn Văn Trỗi is located near the former Cong Ly Bridge. In #ĐàNẵng, the Nguyễn Văn Trỗi Bridge spans the Hàn River. Other countries have commemorated Trỗi, particularly #Cuba. A 14,000-seat public stadium in #Guantánamo is named Nguyen Van Troi Stadium & his statue overlooks Nguyen Van Troi Park in #Havana; the city also has a school & hospital named for him.

Anti-war activists Jane Fonda & Tom Hayden named their son, an actor now known as Troy Garity, in honor of Trỗi.

The 1975 film Chronicle of a #LatinAmerican subversive (Spanish: Crónica de un subversivo latinoamericano) by director Mauricio Walerstein, narrates the kidnapping episode of Colonel Smolen by FALN guerrillas in response to Trỗi's death sentence.

(Ref: Doling, Tim (2019). Exploring Saigon-Cholon – Vanishing Heritage of Ho Cho Minh City. Thế Giới Publishers. ISBN 9786047761388.)

(Ref: web.archive.org/web/2010080301)

(Ref: rottentomatoes.com/m/cronica-d)

web.archive.orgThe heart doesn't grow Fonda - TelegraphMark Steyn examines the yo-yo-ing opinions but unwavering chest of Hanoi Jane
#AsianMastodon#Vietnam#VietnameseRevolutionaries
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Ms. Que Banh

For 22,000 #Vietnamese & some #Cambodians, #CônSơn Island was literally the last stop on a journey that began with their arrest & incarceration on the mainland. Their crime? Resisting #ForeignInvaders du jour & fighting for their country’s independence & unification. In addition to execution, causes of death included disease & torture.

The French built the Côn Đảo prison complex in 1861 to hold #PoliticalPrisoners and handed it over to the South Vietnamese government in 1954. It was a political Alcatraz on steroids, with #inhumane living conditions, barbaric torture methods, no escape and, for many, no survival. The US & its client state collaborators honed this hell on Earth to #dystopian perfection.

Sáu was sent to 3 jails before being shipped to Côn Sơn Prison, because the French didn’t have the courage to carry out her death sentence on the mainland at a time when it was against #ColonialLaw to execute woman. She was the only female prisoner held by the French on Côn Sơn.

Like other Vietnamese who died for the cause of independence, Sáu, a national heroine who is celebrated in theater & song, was elevated to the status of ancestral spirit. Every Vietnamese city & town has a street named after her, as are many schools. She embodies the spirit of millions of Vietnamese throughout history, including soldiers of the First & Second Indochina War, who sacrificed everything, their youth, their health, their love, their personal happiness, & their lives, so that Vietnam could become a unified, sovereign nation.

“The lekima flower in full bloom, we are reminded of a heroine who died for future generations. The young lady so full of vitality fought against our enemies with firm spirit & even death could not force her to yield”. The song echoes in the mind of everybody who visits Hàng Dương cemetary in Côn Đảo district, Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu province. Vo Thi Sau, the #heroine mentioned in the song, was #executed by the #French #colonialists at the foot of Chua mountain in the early morning of January 23, 1952. 60 years later, her immortal patriotism & sacrifice still shine in the heart of every Vietnamese person, particularly those who live on #ConDao island, once called “hell on the earth”. (Ref: VOVWorld)

The 20-hectare Hàng Dương cemetery holds the graves of more than 20,000 martyrs, including #revolutionary #martyr Lê Hồng Phong, patriot Nguyễn An Ninh & #hero Cao Văn Ngọc. Visitors are moved to see grave after grave, some named, some unnamed, stretching over the hill. Vo Thi Sau’s grave, set in gravel & soil shoveled by her fellow prisoners, lies in section B.

Sister Sau was already a legend when the ship carrying her docked at Con Dao island in 1952. At the execution, she refused to be blindfolded, wanting to admire the motherland’s landscape & sing until her last breath. Many families on Con Dao island have set up altars to worship sister Sau, whose legend has become eternal in Vietnamese hearts.

A monochromatic portrait of Võ Thị Sáu, placed centrally on a light-colored, circular background. Her eyes are covered by bold red stripes. Surrounding her are various graphic elements: two grenades positioned towards the left, an AK-47 rifle angled downwards on the right, and greenery interspersed with these weapons. The ocean and boats are faintly visible in the distant background, providing context of a coastal setting. The overall composition contrasts the tranquility of the sea with the violence implied by the weaponry.
#AsianMastodon#Vietnam#VietnameseRevolutionaries
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Ms. Que Banh

"Perhaps this is the biggest single difference between Viet Nam and Abu Ghraib. In Viet Nam, the U.S. primarily taught and paid the Saigon police and military to do their bidding. In Abu Ghraib and Iraq, the U.S. military is carrying out the torture themselves. There were, however, many Vietnamese who were tortured by Americans before being turned over to their Saigon allies and put into jail. Reports of suspected Viet Cong being thrown out of helicopters, peasant farm people tied to stakes in the hot sun, and young men led off to execution by U.S. soldiers are well-documented by U.S. soldiers and journalists.

The U.S. paid the salaries of the torturers, taught them new methods, and turned suspects over to the police. The U.S. authorities were all aware of the torture."

historiansagainstwar.org/resou

www.historiansagainstwar.orgThe Tiger Cages of Viet Nam
#AsianMastodon#Vietnam#ColonialResistance
Public
Ms. Que Banh

Queen of Vietnam’s last imperial monarchy: Nam Phuong Empress (1914-1963). Her ordained name translates to “Fragrance of the South,” a fitting title for a woman ahead of her time, whose virtues, charm & charisma still linger with us to this day.

Daughter of one of Vietnam’s wealthiest 20th century families, she was born Marie-Thérèse Nguyen Huu Thi Lan. A native of Tien Giang Province, the queen-to-be was a French national, having been sent to an exclusive Catholic boarding school in Neuilly-sur-Seine, at age 12.
1.75 meters tall with Eastern features, Nguyễn Hữu Thị Lan was a great beauty. Legend has it that she was crowned Miss Indochina three times. 

In his memoir Con Rồng An Nam, or Dragon of An Nam, Emperor Bảo Đại expressed his enchantment for his wife, “Lan had the beauty of a southern girl, tender and captivating. She enchanted me.”
For this reason, he later gave her the title Nam Phương, which, according to the emperor, means Parfum du Sud, or Perfume of the South.

According to historians, the royal family of the Nguyễn Dynasty were vehemently against this marriage in the beginning. To allow a French-educated woman who practiced a western religion to become the queen of a Confucian-influenced nation was unprecedented.
Emperor Bảo Đại was more than willing to break with precedent.

Nguyễn Hữu Thị Lan’s family also responded to the emperor’s proposal with conditions that made things even harder to accept.
All of these requests were unprecedented in Vietnam’s monarchy.

First & foremost, Nguyễn Hữu Thị Lan should be crowned as queen consort, or empress, on her wedding day. Secondly, she should remain a Catholic & all of her children be baptized & made Catholic. Most importantly, the couple must obtain permission from the Pope in order to let the emperor practice his Buddhism & his wife practice Catholicism.

Despite his mother’s disapproval, the emperor managed to meet most of the conditions & marry the object of his enchantment. What’s more, he agreed to renounce polygamy & take her as his only lawful wife.
In his address to the royal family, the emperor made his point clear, “I’m marrying for myself, not for the royal court.”

The wedding took place in March 1934, without the approval of the Vatican.
At Thái Hòa Palace, Nguyễn Hữu Thị Lan was crowned as the empress of An Nam, and titled Empress Nam Phương. He also broke a long-standing tradition by allowing the empress to wear yellow, a color unique to the emperor only.

Recalling this unprecedented historical event, Emperor Bảo Đại wrote:

“Yes, I made my wife queen in this marriage, even though queenship is a title usually given to a king’s wife only after her death. She was wearing a royal robe, a pair of upturned toe cap shoes, and a puffed bonnet embroidered with gemstones. That was the first time in the history of An Nam that a lady walked into the palace amid the ceremonious reception of the royal court. All by herself, she walked into the grand hall and waited for me there, sitting on a low wooden stool.”

After the controversial marriage, the royal family refused to let the newlyweds reside in the Forbidden City. Instead, they stayed inside Kiến Trung Palace. The interiors of this place were later remodelled in French style to become more modern & comfortable for the two who were already accustomed to Western lifestyles.

After his abdication on August 25th 1945, Emperor Bảo Đại had an affair with Lady Bùi Mộng Điệp, a Buddhist from northern Vietnam. Even though an official wedding between these two never took place, Lady Bùi Mộng Điệp was recognized & favored by the royal family. She was known to be very respectful & resourceful in organizing Buddhist-themed public events in the palace.
The relationship between the empress and the emperor slowly fell apart.

Empress Nam Phương had five children with Vietnam’s last emperor, whom she brought with her to France in 1947. They were Crown Prince Nguyễn Phúc Bảo Long, Lady Phương Mai, Lady Phương Liên, Lady Phương Dung, and Prince Nguyễn Phúc Bảo Thắng.

The royal family resided in the castle Thorenc in Cannes, a property of the empress’ family. Sometimes, the emperor travelled to France to visit them.

The empress passed on at the age of 49, without any family members by her side. In the last years of her life, she expressed her wish to have her body buried in Dalat, near her parents’ tombs, but her children didn’t agree with that.
Her funeral was carried out in such a quiet and simple manner that made it hard for the spectators to believe that the person lying in the coffin was a queen.

More:
vgt.vn/la-thu-dan-mat-tieu-tam

Nam Phuong Empress, wearing a lavish, elaborately decorated Queen headdress with intricate designs and embellishments. Her clothing displays a detailed phoenix pattern in the fabric, which contrasts with the background. The woman’s facial features are prominent, highlighting her serious expression, with natural lighting emphasizing the textures of her attire and accessories. The portrait focuses on her expression and traditional attire.
Emperor & Empress with two of their children. Black and white photo of a family of four standing inside a doorway. The adult couple stands at the center, with the woman wearing a dress and a fur shawl, and the man dressed in a white suit holding a cane. Two young girls, wearing light-colored coats, are positioned in front of them. One girl, to the left, appears to be slightly shy, while the girl on the right poses confidently with her hand raised.
Nam Phuong Empress, in a vintage-style, sleeveless white gown that cascades elegantly over a chair. She is seated in a relaxed pose, with her right hand resting on her left knee and her left hand gently clasped. The photograph has a sepia tone, enhancing its nostalgic feel, with a blurred background showcasing out-of-focus furniture and soft lighting, creating a serene atmosphere.
Nam Phuong Empress, seated on side of cushioned armchair, wearing a delicate, patterned dress that falls to the floor. Her hair is styled in an elegant updo, and she gazes softly at the camera. The background consists of softly draped curtains in muted tones, and a lamp with a floral design stands on a dark wooden side table. Subtle plant elements are visible, contributing to a warm, inviting ambiance, with soft lighting that enhances the overall elegance of the scene.
#AsianMastodon#Vietnam#VietnameseHistory
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Ms. Que Banh

10 January 1973, negotiations broke down when #Kissinger demanded the release of all #AmericanPOWs in North Vietnam once a peace agreement was signed, but offered no guarantees about #VietCong prisoners being held in South Vietnam.

Thọ stated: "I cannot accept your proposal. I completely reject it".
Thọ wanted the release of all prisoners once a peace agreement was signed, which led Kissinger to say this was an unreasonable demand. Thọ, who had been tortured as a young man by the French colonial police for advocating Vietnamese independence, shouted:
"You have never been a prisoner. You don't understand suffering. It's unfair".

Kissinger finally offered that the United States would use "maximum influence" to pressure the South Vietnamese government to release all Viet Cong prisoners within sixty days of a peace agreement being signed. On 23 January 1973, at 12:45 pm, Kissinger and Thọ signed the peace agreement.

#AsianMastodon#Vietnam#VietnameseRevolutionaries
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Ms. Que Banh

In his book “Our Vietnam: The War 1954–1975,” U.S. journalist A.J. Langguth says that despite Kissinger’s protestations for Tho to be quiet, during one session of the talks he shouted at Kissinger for over an hour:

“For more than ten years, America has used violence to beat down the Vietnamese people-napalm, B-52s. But you don’t draw any lessons from your failures. You continue the same policy. Ngu xuan! Ngu xuan! Ngu xuan!”

The translator refused to tell Kissinger what Ngu xuan meant (massively stupid) for fear of causing offence.

Luu Van Loi, who was with Tho at the conference as a member of the negotiating team, wasn’t happy with #Kissinger either. “Kissinger was dodgy; he always brought up irrelevant matters at the start of meetings, and only mentioned the important stuff out for discussion at night. He must have thought that the old Le Duc Tho was sleepy and tired. But he knew nothing about Tho! The longer the negotiation went, the more alert Tho got.”

Kissinger seemed to agree with Luu Van Loi when he expressed his astonishment: “Sometimes he talked for hours straight. I said, ‘I’ve heard this countless times,’ but Tho responded ‘You’ve heard it countless times but you haven’t remembered it, let me repeat…’”

Thọ told Kissinger at their first meeting that "Vietnamization" was doomed, dismissively saying in French: "Previously, with over one million U.S and Saigon troops, you have failed. Now how can you win if you let the South Vietnamese Army fight alone and if you only give them military support?"

In April 1970, Thọ broke off his meetings with Kissinger, saying that there was nothing to discuss. An attempt by Kissinger to talk to Thọ again in May 1970 was rejected with a note reading "The U.S. words of peace are just empty ones"

In July 1971, Kissinger taunted Thọ with news that President #Nixon would be visiting China soon to meet #MaoZedong, telling him that the days when the North Vietnamese could count of the supply of Chinese arms were coming to close. Thọ showed no emotion: "That is your affair. Our fighting is our preoccupation, and that will decide the outcome for our country. What you have told us will have no influence on our fighting".

2 May 1972, Thọ had his 13th meeting with Kissinger in Paris. The meeting was hostile; the North Vietnamese had just taken Quang Tri City in South Vietnam, which led Nixon to tell Kissinger "No nonsense. No niceness. No accommodations". During the meeting, Thọ mentioned that Senator William Fulbright was criticizing the Nixon administration, leading Kissinger to say: "Our domestic discussions are no concern of yours". Thọ snapped back: "I'm giving an example to prove that Americans share our views". When Kissinger asked Thọ why North Vietnam had not responded on a proposal he sent via the Soviet Union, Thọ replied: "We have on many occasions said that if you have any question, you should talk to directly to us, and we shall talk directly to you. We don't speak through a third person".

August 1972, Kissinger promised Thọ that he would pressure Nguyễn Văn Thiệu to resign if Thọ agreed to a peace deal before US presidential elections. Thọ told Kissinger that the timetable for Thiệu's departure was no longer an immediate concern & he wanted some $8 billion in reparations for the war damage. Kissinger told Thọ that he wanted to tell the world about their secret meetings since 1970 to give the impression that Nixon was making progress on peace in Vietnam, a suggestion Thọ rejected, saying it's not his job to assist Nixon's reelection campaign.

20 November 1972, Kissinger met Thọ again in Paris. Kissinger no longer aimed at secrecy & was followed by paparazzi as he went to a house owned by the French Communist Party where Thọ was waiting for him. Kissinger announced the Americans wanted major changes to the peace agreement made in October to accommodate Thiệu, which led Thọ to accuse him of negotiating in bad faith.
Thọ: "We have been deceived by the French, the Japanese and the Americans. But the deception has never been so flagrant as of now".

Putting more pressure, Nixon told Kissinger to break off talks if Thọ wouldn't agree to changes he wanted. Kissinger told Nixon: "While we have a moral case for bombing North Vietnam when it does not accept our terms, it seems to be really stretching the point to bomb North Vietnam when it has accepted our terms and when South Vietnam has not". December 1972, talks had broken & Nixon decided to resume bombing North Vietnam.
After the Christmas bombings of 1972, Thọ was in particularly savage mood towards Kissinger.

8 January 1973 in a house in the French town of Gif-sur-Yvette, Kissinger arrived to find nobody at the door to greet him. When Kissinger entered the conference room, nobody spoke to him. Sensing the hostile mood, Kissinger speaking in French said: "It was not my fault about the bombing". Before Kissinger could say anymore, Thọ exploded in rage, saying in French:
"Under the pretext of interrupted negotiations, you resumed the bombing of North Vietnam, just at the moment when I reached home. You have 'greeted' my arrival in a very courteous manner! You action, I can say, is flagrant and gross! You and no one else strained the honor of the United States"

"You've spent billions of dollars and many tons of bombs when we had a text ready to sign". Kissinger replied: "I have heard many adjectives in your comments. I propose that you should not use them". Thọ answered: "I have used those adjectives with a great deal of restraint already. The world opinion, the U.S. press and U.S. political personalities have used harsher words".

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Ms. Que Banh

#French #colonial authorities imprisoned him from 1930-1936 & again from 1939-1944. The French imprisoned him a "tiger cage" cells in the prison on Poulo Condore (Côn Sơn Island) in the South China Sea. Poulo Condore was the harshest prison in all of French #Indochina. During his time in the "tiger cage", Thọ suffered from hunger, heat, torture & humiliation. He was a teenager & these prison experiences hardened him.

After his second release he returned to Hanoi in 1945 to help lead the #VietMinh, the #VietnameseIndependence organization, as well as a revived communist party called the #VietnamWorkersParty. He was senior Viet Minh official in southern Vietnam until the #GenevaAccords of 1954. From 1955 he was a member of the Politburo of the Vietnam Workers’ Party, or the Communist Party of Vietnam(renamed in 1976). During the Vietnam War (1955–75) Tho oversaw the #VietCong insurgency that began against the South Vietnamese government in the late 1950s. He carried out most of his duties during the war while in hiding in South Vietnam.

“The Nobel Committee made a big mistake,” he said in an interview with UPI a decade later. “This is a prize for peace. The thing here is, who is the one that has created peace? The ones who fought against the U.S. and established peace for the country are us, not the U.S. However, the Nobel Committee has put the invader and the invaded as equal – that is something I cannot accept, and that is the reason why I declined the prize.” When asked if he’d accept the prize now that the country is free, he replied, “Yes, but only if the prize is awarded to me only.”
tienphong.vn/uy-ban-giai-nobel

Lê Đức Thọ's "insolence" towards Western politics helped to gain his country control over Saigon, Vientiane & ousted a pro-Western government in Phnom Penh. Within Vietnam, Lê Đức Thọ is remembered as a revolutionary leader who played a pivotal role in the country’s struggle for independence & reunification. He is honored as a key figure in Vietnam’s history.

Despite his involvement in peace negotiations, Lê Đức Thọ remains a controversial figure, among those who view him as a symbol of the repressive communist regime in Vietnam. The communist government’s human rights abuses & suppression of dissent have led to criticism of his role in the post-war government.

Henry Kissinger (right) shaking hands with Le Duc Tho in Paris after their agreement on the cease-fire terms of the Vietnam War, 1973.
Tho waves his hand while addressing reporters during a press event. He is wearing glasses and a dark outfit, surrounded by various people, including other officials and journalists, who are holding microphones and recording devices. Black and white photo.
#AsianMastodon#Vietnam#VietnameseRevolutionaries
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Ms. Que Banh

Nguyễn Văn Trỗi (1 February 1940 – 15 October 1964) was a #Vietnamese #revolutionary & member of the NLF (National Liberation Front). He gained notoriety after being captured by ARVN forces while trying to assassinate US Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara & Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. who were visiting South Vietnam in May 1964.

Trỗi became the first publicly executed member of the NLF. His execution was filmed, and he remained defiant to the end. His last words before his execution in #Saigon :

"You are journalists and so you must be well informed about what is happening. It is the Americans who have committed aggression on our country, it is they who have been killing our people with planes and bombs ... I have never acted against the will of my people. It is against the Americans that I have taken action."

When a priest offered Trỗi absolution, he refused, saying: "I have committed no sin. It is the Americans who have sinned." As the first shots were fired, he called out: "Long live Vietnam!"

His wife wrote a biography book on his short but brave life. Phan Thi Quyen (c. 1965) Nguyen van troi tel qu'il etait (Nguyễn Văn Trỗi As He Was).

Nguyễn Văn Trỗi moments before being executed. He is dressed in white shirt & white pants. His hands are on both sides with palms up & open. He is surrounded by many police & army officials. Black and white photo.
#AsianMastodon#Vietnam#VietnameseRevolutionaries
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Ms. Que Banh

Võ Thị Sáu (1933 – 23 January 1952) was a #Vietnamese schoolgirl who fought as a #guerrilla against the #FrenchOccupiers of #Vietnam, then part of French #Indochina. She was captured, tried, convicted & executed by the French #colonialists in 1952. She was the first woman to be executed at Côn Sơn Prison.

Vo Thi Sau was no ordinary schoolgirl. She was just 14 when she tossed a grenade at a group of French soldiers, killing one & injuring 12 before escaping into a crowded market. A few years later, in 1952 aged just 19, she was executed by a French firing squad.

Minutes before her death, a priest asked if she wanted to confess & she simply replied: “I only regret not finishing destroying all the colonists and people who betrayed this nation.” She then demanded her captors take off her blindfold: “No need to cover my eyes, I want to look at this beloved country for the last time and I have the courage to look directly at your muzzle.” She refused to kneel & calmly sang “Tien Quan Ca,” the then national anthem of North Vietnam, before she was shot dead. Her last words were reportedly “Down with the French Colonialists, long-lasting independence Vietnam, long-live President Ho.” Bold & fearless, Sau has been seen as a #heroine & #martyr, beloved by her country ever since.

chaohanoi.com/2020/04/21/vietn

Portrait of Võ Thị Sáu at the Vung Tau Police Office. Age 15. 1949. Black and white photo.
#AsianMastodon#VietnamHistory#VietnameseRevolutionaries
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Ms. Que Banh

Lê Đức Thọ (14 October 1911 – 13 October 1990), was a #Vietnamese #revolutionary general, diplomat & politician. Tho was the first #Asian to be awarded the #NobelPeacePrize, jointly with US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger in 1973, for their work on Paris Peace Accords, but refused the award.
nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/19

"However, since the signing of the Paris agreement, the United States and the Saigon administration continue in grave violation of a number of key clauses of this agreement. The Saigon administration, aided and encouraged by the United States, continues its acts of war. Peace has not yet really been established in South Vietnam. In these circumstances it is impossible for me to accept the 1973 Nobel Prize for Peace which the committee has bestowed on me. Once the Paris accord on Vietnam is respected, the arms are silenced and a real peace is established in South Vietnam, I will be able to consider accepting this prize. With my thanks to the Nobel Prize Committee please accept, madame, my sincere respects."
web.archive.org/web/2011040316

"Unfortunately, the Nobel Peace Prize Committee put the aggressor and the victim of aggression on the same par. ... That was a blunder. The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the greatest prizes in the world. But the United States conducted a war of aggression against Vietnam. It is we, the Vietnamese people, who made peace by defeating the American war of aggression against us, by regaining our independence and freedom."
upi.com/Archives/1986/12/17/Pe

Black and white portrait of Lê Đức Thọ.
#AsianMastodon#Vietnam#VietnameseRevolutionaries
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Ms. Que Banh

I LOVE Saigon Supersound albums ❤️🎶🇻🇳🎵❤️

#SaigonSupersound releases Vietnamese music fused with elements of vintage western pop. This marriage of cultures results in unique, sophisticated sounds which transcend time and geographical boundaries to bridge east and west. The label started with two compilations that rediscovered gems from the so called “Golden Music” period in the south of Vietnam and soon began including new releases in the same vein. While considering the valuable heritage of Vietnamese popular music, the new releases are in the form of edits, re-works and remixes, as well as fresh compositions by upcoming artists which transport listeners from the past into the present. With this in mind, we are looking forward to developing new artists that share this common vision. The journey just started…let´s see where it will take us.

saigonsupersound.com/

#Music#StraightOuttaSaigon#Viet
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#SaigonSoulRevival has been on a quest to reawaken the raw, enchanting sounds of #1960s and #70s #Vietnam; a time when passionate music resonated in #Saigon's streets and clubs with messages of love, heartache, hope and freedom. Amongst the turmoil of war, there was a rich cultural climate that fused popular genres of the day like rock, soul and bolero with Vietnamese music and lyrics. This fusion of sounds that bridged east and west became forbidden after the fall of Saigon in 1975 and almost vanished. Four decades later Saigon Soul Revival was born with the initial purpose of bringing these dormant sounds back to the stage. After numerous live performances over the last 3 years, the band has developed their own sound and now, with the release of their debut album “Họa Âm Xưa”, they are ready to share it with the rest of the world. The 11 track LP, including original compositions and nostalgic reinterpretations, blends traditional Vietnamese elements with modern concepts, featuring pre ‘75 and current artists, all while remaining firmly rooted in the “nhạc vàng” (golden music) of the time. Meaning “Old Harmonies”, Saigon Soul Revival is proud to present “Họa Âm Xưa” as a tribute to the artists and composers of the time that inspired them to create this marriage between past and present.

saigonsoulrevival.bandcamp.com

Saigon Soul RevivalHọa Âm Xưa, by Saigon Soul Revival11 track album
#Music#Bandcamp#remix
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Ms. Que Banh

My #MorningMusic choice, today 💗🎵🇻🇳🎵💗

#SaigonSoulRevival returns with their second album, "Mối Lương Duyên".

New York based DJ & producer, #Nickodemus, head-honcho behind Wonderwheel recordings and one of the most important leaders of the global fusion dance community since the mid-90s, delivers the first remix from Saigon Soul Revival’s second album. Spicing up the opening title “Ai Thật Lòng Yêu Ai“ with his electronic trademark sound that is often focused on the connective tissue of live collaborations and the electronic solitude of his record-filled studio, Nickodemus is putting his own twist on the sultry soul groove.

What is the song about ?
This very soulful album opener „ Ai Thật Lòng Yêu Ai“ tells the story of a man who is deeply in love has his heart betrayed when he discovers his sweetheart is with another. Confused and crushed by despair, the man swears to himself that he will never forget the pain she caused him that day. He wishes never to see her again, in this life or the next.

Once again featuring Nguyễn Thị Hải Phượng on #ĐànTranh (Vietnamese 16-stringed #zither)

saigonsoulrevival.bandcamp.com

Saigon Soul RevivalAi Thật Lòng Yêu Ai (Nickodemus Remix), by Saigon Soul Revival5 track album
#Music#Bandcamp#remix
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