Trần Thiện Khiêm
Prime Minister of South Vietnam from 1969 to 1975 / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Trần Thiện Khiêm ([ʈəŋ˨˩ tʰiəŋ˨˩˨ kʰim˧˧]; 15 December 1925 – 24 June 2021) was a South Vietnamese soldier and politician, who served as a General in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) during the Vietnam War. He was born in Saigon, Cochinchina, French Indochina (now Vietnam). During the 1960s, he was involved in several coups. He helped President Ngô Đình Diệm put down a November 1960 coup attempt and was rewarded with a promotion. In 1963, however, he was involved in the coup that deposed and assassinated Diêm.
Trần Thiện Khiêm | |
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8th Prime Minister of South Vietnam | |
In office 23 August 1969 – 4 April 1975 | |
President | Nguyễn Văn Thiệu |
Deputy | Nguyễn Lưu Viên |
Preceded by | Trần Văn Hương |
Succeeded by | Nguyễn Bá Cẩn |
Minister of National Defense | |
In office 6 August 1972 – 14 April 1975 | |
Prime Minister |
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Preceded by | Nguyễn Văn Vy |
Succeeded by | Trần Văn Đôn |
In office 8 February 1964 – 9 September 1964 | |
Prime Minister |
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Preceded by | Trần Văn Đôn |
Succeeded by | Nguyễn Khánh |
Minister of Internal Affairs of South Vietnam | |
In office 27 May 1968 – 29 June 1973 | |
Prime Minister |
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Preceded by | Linh Quang Viên |
Succeeded by | Lê Công Chất |
Deputy Prime Minister of South Vietnam | |
In office 27 May 1968 – 22 August 1969 | |
Prime Minister | Trần Văn Hương |
Preceded by | Phạm Đăng Lâm |
Succeeded by | Nguyễn Lưu Viên |
Personal details | |
Born | (1925-12-15)15 December 1925 Saigon, Cochinchina, French Indochina |
Died | 24 June 2021(2021-06-24) (aged 95) San Jose, California, US |
Political party | National Social Democratic Front |
Other political affiliations | |
Signature | |
Military career | |
Allegiance | Republic of Vietnam |
Service/ | |
Years of service | 1947–1975 |
Rank | General (Đại Tướng) |
Commands held |
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Battles/wars | |
Other work |
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He later joined with Nguyễn Khánh to stage a successful January 1964 coup. In the next few months, the Catholic Khiêm fell out with Khánh whom he accused of being too heavily influenced by Buddhist activists. Khiêm tried to plot against Khánh, but was thwarted. He was implicated in the organization of the September 1964 coup attempt by Generals Lâm Văn Phát and Dương Văn Đức, both Catholics, and was sent into exile to serve as Ambassador to the United States. In February 1965, Colonel Phạm Ngọc Thảo, who had accompanied him to Washington had returned to Saigon and launched a coup with Phát. This was done with Khiêm's support. The coup failed but other officers took the opportunity to force Khánh into exile. Khiêm would return to Vietnam when the political climate among the generals was more favorable and became Prime Minister under President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu, resigning only in the last month before the fall of Saigon.