Trần Văn Hữu

Trần Văn Hữu (1896 in Vinh Long, Vietnam – 17 January 1984 in Paris, France)[1] served as president of the government of Cochinchina from 1948 to 1949, then as Prime Minister of the State of Vietnam from 1950 to 1952.[2]

In this Vietnamese name, the family name is Trần, but is often simplified to Tran in English-language text. According to Vietnamese custom, this person should properly be referred to by the given name Hữu.

He lived in France after Ngô Đình Diệm came to power in 1954 in South Vietnam and worked to undermined the Diệm regime. Hữu served as leader of the Committee for Peace and Renewal of South Vietnam, an organization that lobbied for peace and the neutralization of Vietnam in the Cold War. As part of this mission, in 1966 he visited Pope Paul VI and the United Nations Secretary General U Thant.[3]

Because of his lobbying efforts and past political standing, Hữu was an ally of the National Liberation Front (NLF) in Paris. In 1969, the leadership of the NLF proposed Hữu as a possible minister of a new NLF government.[4]

References

1. https://www.rulers.org/indext2.html
2. Ellen Joy Hammer The Struggle for Indochina, 1940-1955 1966 p. 274 "Nguyen Phan Long was succeeded as Prime Minister by Tran Van Huu, a wealthy landowner and a French citizen, who resigned as Governor of South Viet Nam to accept the post.
3. "Visitor is seeking Peace in Vietnam," NYT 15 April 1966.
4. "Vietcong and Their Allies Set Up Anti-Thieu Regime," New York Times, 11 June 1969.

Preceded by Nguyễn Văn Xuân	President of Cochinchina 1948-1949	Succeeded by position disestablished

Preceded by Nguyễn Phan Long	Prime Minister of the State of Vietnam 1950-1952	Succeeded by Nguyễn Văn Tâm