Finding the Dragon Lady Read online

  Lam Ngoc (Forest Jewel) villa in Dalat, 66–67

  Lansdale, Edward, 80–81, 84, 90, 109–110, 162

  Le Duan, 121

  Le Loi (Vietnamese king), 54

  Lebedeva, Mrs., 100

  Life magazine, 90, 144

  Lodge, Henry Cabot, 12, 140, 161

  and Saigon coup of 1963, 198–199, 200, 202, 203, 209, 210

  Luce, Clare Booth, 6, 146–148, 151, 172, 214, 216

  Luce, Henry, 147, 172

  Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library, 118

  Ma Tuyen, 205, 206

  Making of a Quagmire (Halberstam), 136, 139

  Maneli, Mieczyslaw, 201

  Mao, Madame, 148

  Mao Tse-tung, 147

  Marriage, 20. See also Vietnamese tradition

  Martial law, 164–165, 200

  Marx, Karl, 75

  McCarthy, Eugene, 209

  McCone, John A., 200

  McFadden, James, 215

  McNamara, Robert, 121, 162, 199, 200, 201

  Mecklin, John, 140

  Meet the Press, 183

  Michigan State University Vietnam Advisory Group, 214

  Middle-daughter, role of, 27. See also Vietnamese tradition

  Miers, Richard, 205

  Minutemen, 197

  Mission in Torment (Mecklin), 140

  Mohr, Charlie, 37, 104

  Moore, Mary Tyler, 171

  Morality Laws, 127–129

  Mother and newborn, 20. See also Vietnamese tradition

  Mother myth, 54. See also Vietnamese tradition

  Nam Tran Tran Van Chuong. See Tran Van Chuong, Madame

  National Assembly, 95–96, 102–103

  National Indignation Convention, 197

  National Liberation Front (NLF; Viet Cong), 101, 121, 122–124, 208

  National Mothers (Quoc Mau), 54

  National Press Club, 190–191

  National Review, 147, 214

  Nepotism, 96, 112, 122, 126

  New York Herald Tribune, 143, 190

  New York Times, 1, 2, 132, 135, 140, 143, 145, 176, 215, 217, 221

  Newborn and mother, 20. See also Vietnamese tradition

  Newsday, 143

  Newsweek, 139, 141

  Ngo brothers (Ngo Dinh Diem; Ngo Dinh Nhu)

  assassination of, 1–2, 175, 207, 209–210, 210–211, 213, 220

  in Cholon, in hiding, 205–206

  and Nhu, Madame, dependence on, 163

  and Saigon coup of 1963, 198–210

  surrender of, 206

  See also Ngo Dinh Diem; Ngo Dinh Nhu

  Ngo Dinh Can, 12, 56, 219

  Ngo Dinh Diem, 37, 62, 74–77, 149

  as administrative supervisor, 73

  and Bao Dai, 81, 88, 90, 95

  and Binh Xuyen police, battle against, 89–90

  biographical information, 72–73

  and Buddhist monk, self-immolation of, 161–162, 163

  and Buddhist pagodas, raids on, 164–166, 166–167

  as chief of state, 95

  and Collins, J. Lawton, 85

  and communism/Communists, 76–77, 94, 95

  and coup attempt of 1960, 112, 113–114

  and Dai Viet Phu Hung Hoi (the Association for the Restoration of Great Vietnam), building of, 75

  and democracy, 94–95

  description of, 74–75

  as district chief, 73

  and election, 95

  and fake body counts, 122

  and fake coup scheme, 201–204

  and flag-flying and bombing incident, 163–164

  and the French, hatred between, 80, 81, 83, 88

  as governor of Phan Thiet, 73

  and Ho Chi Minh, 75–76

  and Japan, 76

  and Johnson, Lyndon, 124, 131–132

  and Lansdale, Edward, 80–81, 84

  and martial law, 164–165, 200

  in New York City, 180–181

  and Ngo Dinh Nhu, 77, 84–85

  and Nhu, Madame, 5, 80–81, 98–99, 102, 113–114, 140

  and Nhu, Madame, and banishment to Belgrade, 166–167

  and Nhu, Madame, demonstration in favor of, 86–88

  and Nhu, Madame, dependence on, 163

  and Personalist Labor Party personality of, 97–98

  political ineptness of, 83–85

  as president of South Vietnam, 90, 93–94, 95, 99–100

  and presidential palace, move to, 92–93

  as prime minister of South Vietnam, 73–74, 74–75, 79–81, 90

  as prisoner of the Communists, 75

  retirement in 1933, 73

  and social gatherings, as president, 99–100

  and Tran Thi Le Chi, 109

  and Tran Van Chuong, insults from, 187

  and Tran Van Khiem, 12

  and United States, 76–77, 88

  and US public relations firm, 180

  and vice, battle against, 88–89

  and Viet Minh, 76

  See also Diem regime; Ngo brothers

  Ngo Dinh Kha, 36–37

  Ngo Dinh Khoi, 76

  Ngo Dinh Le Quyen, 111, 167, 220–221

  and Saigon coup of 1963, 202, 204, 207, 208–209

  Ngo Dinh Le Thuy, 48, 51, 74, 82, 110, 125, 167, 195

  birth of, 60

  death of, 220

  at home of grandparents, in Washington, DC, 188–189, 214

  and presidential palace, bombing of, 132

  and Saigon coup of 1963, 204

  and US tour, 171, 183

  and US tour, and boyfriend, 197–198

  in Washington, DC, 186–187

  Ngo Dinh Nhu

  assassination attempt against, 131

  and Buddhist pagodas, raids on, 166, 198

  as chief councilor to the president, 129–132

  childhood of, 36–37

  and Tran Van Chuong, Madame, 35

  and coup attempt of 1960, 112, 113–114

  description of, 194

  education of, 36

  and fake coup scheme, 201–204

  as a father, 110–111

  and labor activists, alliances with, 77

  marital affair of, 107

  marital troubles of, 106–108, 109–111

  marriage of, 37, 39–40

  and Ngo Dinh Diem, 77, 84–85

  and Ngo Dinh Diem, French hatred of, 81

  and personalism, 77

  and Personalist Labor Party, 64, 77

  as political advisor to Ngo Dinh Diem, 84–85

  political power of, 120, 131

  popular discontent with, 131

  and presidential palace, bombing of, 133

  and presidential palace, move to, 92–93

  and Republican Youth, 129–130

  and Saigon, safe passage to, 61

  secret missions of, 64–65

  and Service for Political and Social Research of the Presidency, 131

  and shelter from Viet Minh, in Phat Diem Catholic Church, 60

  smoking habit of, 111

  and Spence, Virginia, 82

  and Strategic Hamlets Program, 130

  and Tran Thi Le Xuan (later Madame Nhu), introduction to, 35–36

  and Tran Van Chuong, insults from, 187–188

  and wife (Madame Nhu), and Pham, John, 72

  and wife (Madame Nhu), at French embassy dinner, 86

  and wife (Madame Nhu), dependence on, 163

  and wife (Madame Nhu), relationship with, 79, 82, 133, 196, 224

  and wife (Madame Nhu), reunion with, in Saigon, 60, 61

  See also Ngo brothers

  Ngo Dinh Nhu, Madame, 40

  at age 86, 193–194

  and American embassy in Saigon, 140

  ancestry of, 9, 18, 45, 154

  and articles in Times of Vietnam, 142–143

  and banishment to Belgrade, and travels abroad, 166–168

  and banishment to Hong Kong, 87–88, 91–92

  and Bao Dai, 65–66, 81

  and
Binh Xuyen attack on presidential palace, 92

  and breastfeeding children, 59–60

  and bridge/battleground crossing with infant daughter, 53–54

  and brother, Tran Van Khiem, 12, 14, 96

  and Buddhist “monks’ barbecue” remark, 1, 139–140, 145, 162–163

  and Buddhist pagodas, raids on, 165–166, 166–167

  and Buddhists as Communists, 162, 216–217

  and Catholicism, 154

  and Chau, at Vietnamese embassy, in Washington, D.C., 189–190

  CIA friends of, 81–82

  and Communists, 156

  and contraception ban, 127

  and coup attempt of 1960, 111–114

  criticism of, 2, 101, 127, 138, 139–140, 140–141, 150–151, 167–168

  in Dalat, 61–62, 63–68, 110

  and dancing ban, 127–128

  and daughter Ngo Dinh Le Quyen, 111

  and daughter Ngo Dinh Le Thuy, 48, 60, 171, 183, 186–187, 197–198, 220

  and daughters, relationship with, 20

  death of, 221–222

  and defense mechanism, blaming others as, 156

  depression of, 223

  as deputy in National Assembly, 102–103

  description of, 2, 5, 78

  diary of, 104–106, 133, 223–225

  and divorce ban, 102–103, 104, 108–109

  as Dragon Lady, 1, 117, 148, 176, 221

  and election to National Assembly, 95–96

  and eyelid cyst, 196, 198, 204

  and Family Code, 102–103, 126

  during famine of 1944 and 1945, 47

  and farewell statement at Saigon airport, 167–168

  and farewell statement at US airport, 216

  and father, Tran Van Chuong, rapprochement between, 11

  and filial piety, 10

  financial status of, 10

  and First Indochina War, 65–66

  as First Lady, and palace attire, 66–67

  as First Lady, and palace life, 93, 109–110, 115–116

  as First Lady, duties of, 98–101

  and flag-flying and bombing incident, 163–164

  and the French, 81

  at French embassy dinner, and Nguyen Van Hinh, 85–87

  and Gregory, Ann, 143

  and Halberstam, David, 135–139

  and Higgins, Marguerite, 144–146

  in Hue, with husband’s family, status of, 45–46, 48, 53

  and husband, Ngo Dinh Nhu, marital affair of, 107

  and husband, Ngo Dinh Nhu, relationship with, 79, 82, 133, 196, 224

  and husband, Ngo Dinh Nhu, reunion with, in Saigon, 60, 61

  and husband, Ngo Dinh Nhu, secret missions of, 64–65

  and husband, Ngo Dinh Nhu, smoking habit of, 111

  interview techniques of, 138–139

  and “intoxicated,” use of word, 10–11, 143

  and Johnson, Lyndon, 124–125

  and Johnson, Lyndon, and entourage in South Vietnam, 118–120

  and Johnson, Lyndon, letter to, 174–175

  and Kennedy, Jacqueline, 2, 150–151

  and Kennedy, Jacqueline, condolence letter to, 217–218

  and Kennedy, John, 174–175, 190, 191, 210, 216

  and Kennedy administration, criticism of, 190–191

  and Kennedy assassination conspiracy theories, 197

  and La Vang, symbolism of American bishop visiting, 154–156, 156–158

  and Lam Ngoc (Forest Jewel) villa in Dalat, 66–67, 110

  love affairs of, 224–225

  and Luce, Clare Booth, and support for, 147–148

  marital troubles of, 106–108, 109–111

  and memoirs, 43–44, 118, 133, 153–154, 156, 194–196, 221–222

  and “monks’ barbecue” remark, 1, 140, 145, 162–163

  and Morality Laws, 127–129

  and motherhood as image of righteousness, 54

  musical abilities of, 53

  and National Press Club, speech at, 190–191

  in New York City, 169–172, 175–183

  in New York City, and speeches and interviews, 182–183

  in New York City, and supporters of, 182–183, 190–191

  in New York City, protests against, 177–178, 179

  and Ngo brothers, assassination of, 213

  and Ngo brothers, dependence of, 163

  and Ngo Dinh Diem, 5, 73–74, 74–75, 80–81, 98–99, 102, 113–114, 140

  and Ngo Dinh Diem, demonstration in favor of, 86–88

  and Nguyen Khanh, 113

  and Nguyen Van Hinh, 83

  and NLF truck bombing, March 22, 1961, 123–124

  and Overseas Press Club in New York City, invitation to speak at, 167

  and parents, and call for ouster, 171

  and parents, and Diem regime, undermining of, 214–215

  and parents, and public disowning, 9, 10

  and parents, and refusal to forgive, 214–215

  and parents, and refusal to receive, in Washington, DC, 187–190, 214

  and parents, and resignation of ambassadorial posts, 166

  and parents, insults from, 187–188, 190

  and parents, murder of, 10, 215

  and parents, will of, 14–15

  in Paris (post-Saigon coup), 6–7, 218–219

  personality of, 57–58, 68, 99, 222

  and Pham, John, 72

  and photographs from past, 117–119

  political influence of, 163

  popular discontent with, 131

  power of, 176

  as powerful woman, criticism of, 150–151

  and presidential palace, bombing of, 117, 132–133

  and the press, criticism of, 15, 137–138

  and program director for US tour, 180

  religion of, 157–158

  reputation of, 1–2, 144

  resentment toward, 129

  in Rome, 10, 216, 219

  rumors about, 103–104

  in Saigon, 77–79

  and Saigon coup of 1963, 204

  and Saigon coup of 1963, and United States, criticism of, 214, 216

  and Saigon coup of 1963, responsibility for, 1–2, 210, 216

  and sister, Tran Thi Le Chi, 103, 104, 108–109

  and sister-in-law Hoang, 56

  and “soldiers of fortune” remark, 2, 181–182

  and son Ngo Dinh Quynh, birth of, 60

  and son Ngo Dinh Trac, birth of, 60

  speech style of, 142

  as Tiger Lady, 117

  and tiger skins, 117, 133, 153

  and Times of Vietnam, 141, 142–143

  and United States, criticism of, 2, 140–141, 162, 181–182, 190–191, 214, 216

  and US tour, 169–183, 186–191, 196–198

  and US tour, during Saigon coup of 1963, 206–207

  and US tour, post-Saigon coup of 1963, 213–216

  and Viet Minh, 47

  and Viet Minh, and detonation of piano, 51

  and Viet Minh, capture by, 48–57

  and Viet Minh, release by, 57

  and Viet Minh leader, attention from, 56–57

  in Washington, DC, 100–101, 186–191

  The White Pebble (Le Caillou Blanc), 194

  and Women’s Corps, 125, 139

  and women’s rights, 102, 125–126

  writing style of, 195

  as young bride and new mother, 45–46

  See also Tran Thi Le Xuan

  Ngo Dinh Quynh, 60, 82, 92, 110, 167, 220

  and Saigon coup of 1963, 202, 204, 207, 208–209

  Ngo Dinh Thuc (archbishop of Hue), 156–158, 209, 219

  Ngo Dinh Trac, 60, 74, 110, 167, 220

  and Saigon coup of 1963, 202, 204, 207, 208–209

  Nguyen Huu Chau, 96, 103, 104, 108–109

  Nguyen Khanh, 112–113, 208

  Nguyen Thi Bang, 124

  Nguyen Van Hinh, 82–83, 85–87, 176

  Nguyen Van Nhung, 207

  Nguyen Van Tam, 82
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  Nixon, Richard, 147, 148, 216

  NLF. See National Liberation Front

  Nolting, Frederick, 120, 121

  North Vietnam, 61, 80–81, 94

  Obama, Michelle, 5

  Office of Strategic Services (OSS), 75, 80

  Oggeri, Etienne, 103, 104, 108–109

  Opium, 31–32

  Oram, Harold, 180–181

  OSS. See Office of Strategic Services

  Oswald, Lee Harvey, 197

  Overseas Press Club, 167

  Parmentier, Madame, 37

  Pentagon Papers, 207–208

  Personalism, 77

  Personalist Labor Party (Can Lao), 64, 77

  Pham, John, 71–73, 97–98, 99

  Pham Van My, 68

  Pham Xuan An, 217

  Pike, Douglas, 102

  Political prisoners, 131

  Polygamy, 19, 102, 126. See also Vietnamese tradition

  Prasso, Sheridan, 149

  Presidential palace (aka Dinh Doc Lap or Independent Palace; Palais Norodom), 92–93

  bombing of, February 11, 1962, 117, 132–133

  and Saigon coup of 1963, and palace siege, 205

  Quang (refugee), 86

  The Quiet American (Greene), 81

  Quoc Mau (National Mothers), 54

  Racial segregation, 30

  Racism, 33, 149

  Radio Catinat, 103

  Reagan, Ronald, 14

  Refugees, 86, 87, 93

  Religion, 157–158. See also Buddhists; Catholics/Catholicism

  Repression of freedoms, 97, 122, 126–127

  Republican Youth, 129–130, 203

  Richardson, John, 199

  Rock Creek Cemetery, 15

  Roosevelt, Eleanor, 186

  Roosevelt, Franklin, 186

  Saigon, 77–79, 83, 120–121

  Saigon coup of 1963, 198–210

  and Kennedy, John, 1–2, 199, 200, 207, 210–211, 217

  and Ngo brothers, assassination of, 1–2, 175, 207, 209–210, 213

  and Ngo brothers, in hiding, 205–206

  and Ngo brothers, surrender of, 206

  and Ngo children, safety of, 202, 204, 207, 208–209

  and Nhu, Madame, as responsible for, 1–2, 210, 216

  and palace siege, 205

  See also Coup attempt of 1960

  Saigon Golf Club bombing, December 1960, 123

  Saint Joseph Cathedral of Hanoi, 39

  Saturday Evening Post, 132, 150, 195

  Self-immolation, of Buddhist monk, 139–140, 145, 160–161, 162–163

  SEPES. See Service for Political and Social Research of the Presidency

  Service for Political and Social Research of the Presidency (SEPES), 131

  Sheehan, Neil, 142

  Shoot to Kill (Miers), 205

  Skylstad, William, 154, 155

  Smith, Jean, 117, 119–120, 148

  Smith, Stephen, 119, 120

  Soong May-Ling. See Chiang, Madame

  South Vietnam

  Americanization of, and Communists, 216

  democracy in, 94–95

  and fake body counts, 121–122