BAO-DAI

(1913-1997)
(ruled 1926-1945, 1949-1955). The son of Emperor Khai Dinh, was born October 22, 1913 in Annam (French Indo-China) and was named Prince Nguyen Vinh Tuy. Educated in France. The successor to his father began in 1926, but returned from the metropolis only in 1932, when, and was crowned. At the same time took the name of Bao-Dai ( 'keeper of greatness'). Bao Dai was a strong supporter of the modernization of Vietnamese society and the state. His departure from tradition - he wore European clothes, he married a Christian from the rich, but base things of the family of Cochin China (southern Vietnam) and has frequently appeared before his subjects - liked everything except the Conservatives.
In 1933, Bao Dai has replaced most of the elderly ministers at a relatively young, but radical reforms were never carried out - every step of the new emperor was controlled by the French. Powerless to do anything, Bao-Dai in on itself. In the period of Japanese occupation remained on the throne. When the Japanese gave to Vietnam 'independence', Emperor of Vietnam, too, proclaimed a sovereign state and formed a government (1945). Soon, power passed into the hands of pro-Communist organization, known as the Viet Minh. Bao Dai was forced to abdicate at the request of its leader, Ho Chi Minh and was appointed political advisor to the Viet Minh, but soon emigrated to Hong Kong (Hong Kong).

In 1949, Bao Dai returned to Vietnam as head of state and formed a parallel government. After the Ngo Dinh Diem proclaimed the republic of Vietnam (as a result of the referendum 1955), Bao-Dai went to France. Bao Dai died in Paris on July 31, 1997.