Origins & Early Life

Nguyễn Khánh (Vietnamese: [ŋwiəŋ˨˩˦ kʰan˦˥]}; 8 November 1927 – 11 January 2013) was a Vietnamese military officer and politician. A general of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam, he was the leader of South Vietnam from January 1964 until February 1965 while at the head of a military junta, serving during that time in various capacities, alternatively as head of state and as prime minister. He was involved in or against many coup attempts, failed and successful, from 1960 until his defeat and exile from South Vietnam in 1965. Khánh lived out his later years with his family in exile in the United States.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He died in 2013 in San Jose, California, at age 85. Khánh was born in Trà Vinh in the Mekong Delta region in the far south of Vietnam (then under jurisdiction of the French Cochinchina). His mother was a property manager in the Central Highlands resort town of Đà Lạt, and lived away from the family home in the deep south. Khánh's father was a wealthy landlord who lived in the Mekong Delta with a mistress, the popular cải lương performer Phùng Há. Khánh was brought up by his de facto stepmother.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Trà Vinh is a border town near Cambodia and the family moved...

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