Bao Dai

Bao Dai or Nguyen Vinh Thuy (born October 22, 1913, Hue, Vietnam-died August 1, 1997, Paris, France) was the last ruler of Nguyen dynasty and the last emperor of Vietnam form 1926 to 1945. During his youth, he was educated in France. He then succeded the throne and assumed the title of Bao Dai, meaning Keeper of Greatness. He initially filled with ideas for reforming and modernising the government but was unable to win French cooperation. Instead, he abandoned his plans and became a puppet leader for French Colonial Rule in Vietnam. When the August Revolution took place in 1945, the Viet Minh propose for Bao Dai to cooperate, but since he realized that there were actually no role for him that the Viet Minh offered, he then fled to Hongkong and live exclusively in France. In 1949 Bao Dai was installed as ‘chief of state’ of the revived French colonial regime. However, the withdrawal of the French in 1954 prompted Bao Dai to again attempt to form a working government in Vietnam. His plans were again blocked, this time by United States. In 1955, Ngo Dinh Diem removed Bao Dai from power, through a referendum that was probably rigged. South Vietnam became a republic, the imperial throne was abolished and he returned to a life of exile in France. He spent the rest of his life in Paris, making only occasional public comments on the situation in Vietnam.