TRANG AN BAO

"Trang An Bao" was the most well known north Vietnamese royalist newspaper, what was then known as the Tonkin region of French Indochina. It was owned by the prominent north Vietnamese royalist Pham Le Bong during a time when most papers that supported the royal court came from Annam, that is central Vietnam, surrounding the Hue Holy Citadel. The paper was supportive of a colonial policy developed during the return of Emperor Bao Dai to Vietnam in the 1930's which stressed the need for a more strict adherence by the French toward the protectorate treaty, though the paper was by no means revolutionary or strongly anti-French. It was the goal of men like Pham Le Bong to have the emperor given more power over Vietnamese affairs, including a reunification of north and central Vietnam under the emperor and ultimately for the French to assume a more "advisory" role in the government of Vietnam.

Monday, January 31, 2005

Vietnamese & Other Monarchists Respond to Disaster

The tsunami that hit Southeast Asia just after Christmas has been one of the most deadly disasters to ever effect the human race and nations all around the world have been quick to respond with whatever help they can muster to deal with this catastrophe. At least one member of the Thai royal family was killed, a grandson of the much revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Rama IX. However, the monarchists of Indochina have also responded to this great crisis. ->

His Majesty, Great King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia has donated a large amount of money for such an impoverished country to help the victims of the disaster. The now retired Great King of the Khmer also said that he believed Cambodia was spared the worst of the disaster by a special, extensive Hindu prayer service he was advised to hold prior to the calamitous event. He cited as proof of this the survival of a statue of the Hindu goddess in question. ->

Not to be found wanting in this time of need are the Vietnamese monarchists. According to member "Nguyen Dai Chinh", the Vietnamese Blue Dragon Society made a special collection to be sent to aid the disaster victims and members close at hand have been aiding in relief efforts. Monarchist Kong Jing Xue also said that similar donations were being sent by the Concordia Association of China, of which he is also a member. +

Loyalist in Profile: Tran Van An

Anyone living through the chaotic period of World War II, the August Revolution and the First Indochina War is likely to have a very interesting life and well-known Vietnamese loyalist Tran Van An was certainly one of those. Tran Van An was born in Long Xuyen in 1903, during the reign of Emperor Thanh Thai. He was involved in politics as much as was possible during this time of colonial rule. ->

In 1942, Tran Van An became a leader in the Viet Nam Phuc Quoc Dong Minh Hoi (or the Vietnam Restoration Alliance) which was founded by the Nguyen prince, Marquis Cuong De, a direct descendant of Emperor Gia Long through Crown Prince Canh. His goal was to form an independent and modernized monarchy with Cuong De as Emperor, but later this was dropped. On May 25, 1945 Tran Van An worked with the well-known loyalist            ->

Nguyen Van Sam to found the Viet Nam Quoc Gia Doc Lap Dang (or Viet-namese Independence Party) to advocate a constitutional monarchy. He was also part of the official 24-man delegation sent to enlist the cooperation of Emperor Bao Dai in Hong Kong. In 1950 he became allied to the Binh Xuyen. In 1954, post Geneva, he tried to have Ngo Dinh Diem replaced by Bay Vien and gave information of arrest plans to Cao Dai Pope Pham Cong Tac, allowing him to escape to Cambodia. +