Nguyễn Cao Kỳ facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nguyễn Cao Kỳ
Kỳ in 1966
2nd Vice President of the Republic of Vietnam
In office 31 October 1967 – 29 October 1971
President	Nguyễn Văn Thiệu
Prime Minister	Nguyễn Văn Lộc Trần Văn Hương Trần Thiện Khiêm
Preceded by	Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ (1963)
Succeeded by	Trần Văn Hương
5th Prime Minister of the Republic of Vietnam
In office 19 June 1965 – 28 October 1967
Deputy	Nguyễn Hữu Có Nguyễn Lưu Viên
Head of State	Nguyễn Văn Thiệu
Preceded by	Phan Huy Quát
Succeeded by	Nguyễn Văn Lộc
Personal details
Born	(1930-09-08)8 September 1930 Sơn Tây, Tonkin, French Indochina
Died	23 July 2011(2011-07-23) (aged 80) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Resting place	Rose Hills Memorial Park, Whittier, California, U.S.
Political party	National Social Democratic Front
Spouse	Đặng Tuyết Mai
Children	Nguyễn Cao Kỳ Duyên
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	Republic of Vietnam
Branch/service	Republic of Vietnam Air Force
Years of service	1949–1971
Rank	Major General (Thiếu Tướng), Air Force commander
Battles/wars	Vietnam War 1963 South Vietnamese coup September 1964 South Vietnamese coup attempt February 1965 South Vietnamese coup attempt Buddhist Uprising Battle of Saigon (1968)

Nguyễn Cao Kỳ (8 September 1930 – 23 July 2011) was a military leader and politician in South Vietnam. He was the head of the Republic of Vietnam Air Force in the 1960s. Later, he became the prime minister from 1965 to 1967. After that, he served as vice president until 1971.

Kỳ was born in northern Vietnam. He joined the Vietnamese National Army and trained as a pilot. After Vietnam was divided, he quickly rose through the ranks of the South Vietnamese Air Force. In 1963, he was part of the group that removed President Ngô Đình Diệm from power.

In 1964, Kỳ became a key figure among a group of young military officers. They were sometimes called the "Young Turks." He often used fighter jets to threaten air strikes to stop other coup attempts. In 1965, he became the prime minister. He worked with General Nguyễn Văn Thiệu to bring more stability to the government.

In 1966, Kỳ removed a rival general, Nguyễn Chánh Thi. This caused big protests and unrest, especially in the cities of Da Nang and Huế. After some military actions, Kỳ's forces stopped the uprising. This made his power stronger.

In 1967, South Vietnam planned to have an elected government. Thiệu ran for president, and Kỳ became his running mate. They won the election. However, tensions continued between Kỳ and Thiệu. Kỳ retired from politics in 1971. After the fall of Saigon in 1975, Kỳ moved to the United States. In 2004, he became the first former South Vietnamese leader to return to Vietnam. He called for peace and understanding between different groups.

Early Life and Military Career

Kỳ was born in Sơn Tây, a town west of Hanoi in northern Vietnam. After finishing high school, he joined the Vietnamese National Army. This army was supported by France at the time. He became an infantry officer.

During the First Indochina War, Kỳ fought against the communist Việt Minh. Later, the French military sent him to Marrakech, Morocco, to train as a pilot. He earned his pilot's wings in 1954.

After France left Vietnam, Kỳ returned to the new Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam). He became the commander of a transport squadron. He was also put in charge of Tan Son Nhut Air Base, the main air facility in Saigon, the capital. Kỳ then went to the United States for six months to study. There, he learned to speak English. He continued to advance in the military.

Kỳ did not have much political experience at first. He became the commander of the Republic of Vietnam Air Force. He also worked with American officials. He helped organize a program to send intelligence teams into North Vietnam. He even flew some of these missions himself.

Rise to Power in the Government

In January 1964, General Nguyễn Khánh took power. Under Khánh's leadership, Kỳ became one of the most important figures in the government.

Stopping Coup Attempts

In September 1964, some generals tried to overthrow Khánh. Kỳ helped stop this attempt. He used his air force to fly low over Saigon, showing force. He also brought in loyal troops to the capital. This made Kỳ's political standing stronger.

In December 1964, Kỳ was part of a group of younger officers. They were known as the Young Turks. They wanted to remove older, less active officers from the military. They also dissolved a civilian advisory group. The U.S. Ambassador was very upset by this. However, the officers ignored the threats because the U.S. wanted to defeat the communists.

In January 1965, the prime minister tried to expand the draft. This led to large protests. Khánh then decided to have the military take over the government. Kỳ supported this move.

Becoming Prime Minister

In February 1965, another coup attempt happened. Colonel Phạm Ngọc Thảo tried to overthrow General Khánh. Kỳ's air force played a key role in stopping this coup. Kỳ took control of Biên Hòa Air Base and threatened to bomb the rebels.

The coup failed, and Kỳ and other officers took control of the government. In May 1965, a military court sentenced the coup leaders to death.

On June 19, 1965, Kỳ was appointed prime minister. This happened after the civilian president and prime minister resigned. South Vietnam's government then had a strong prime minister. General Nguyễn Văn Thiệu became a figurehead president. Kỳ and Thiệu's military government worked to end the many coups that had troubled South Vietnam. They also put in place strict rules, like censorship.

In February 1966, Kỳ attended a meeting in Honolulu with U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson. This meeting made Kỳ feel he had strong support from the United States. He decided to assert his authority over regional military commanders. He especially wanted to challenge General Thi, who controlled central South Vietnam.

Conflict with General Thi

Kỳ's biggest challenge came in 1966. He dismissed General Thi from his command. Thi was seen as Kỳ's main rival. Many believed Thi wanted to remove Kỳ from power. Thi was very popular in central Vietnam and had strong support from his soldiers and Buddhist groups.

Kỳ gathered support from most of the other generals to remove Thi. On March 10, 1966, Thi was removed from his command. Kỳ first said Thi was leaving for medical treatment. But Thi replied, "The only sinus condition I have is from the stink of corruption." Kỳ then accused Thi of being too left-wing and ruling his area like a warlord.

Thi's dismissal caused large protests in the northern provinces. Buddhists and other civilian groups joined with Thi's supporters. They formed the "Struggle Movement." This led to unrest and stopped military operations in Thi's area.

Kỳ tried to calm the situation by allowing Thi to return to his old command. But this only made the protests stronger. Kỳ then sent marines and other troops to Đà Nẵng to stop the rebels. After a standoff, Kỳ realized he could not win easily. He met with Thi's supporters and Buddhist leaders for talks.

After more tensions, Kỳ's forces eventually gained control in May. They stopped the Struggle Movement. Kỳ then put the Buddhist leader, Thích Trí Quang, under house arrest. Thi was sent into exile. This helped Kỳ's government strengthen its power.

International Visits

During his time as prime minister, Kỳ made many visits to other countries. These visits helped show that South Vietnam was a legitimate country. One notable visit was to Australia in 1967. This trip was somewhat controversial. Some people in Australia did not like Kỳ. However, the visit was successful. Kỳ handled the media well, even with some negative opinions.

During his trip to Australia, Kỳ also dealt with a power struggle at home. He removed General Nguyễn Hữu Có, his deputy prime minister and defense minister. Kỳ saw Có as a political threat. Kỳ sent Có to Taiwan for a ceremonial event. While Có was out of the country, Kỳ announced his removal. Có was threatened with arrest if he returned.

Views and Beliefs

Kỳ did not always value democratic ideas. In 1965, he told a journalist that his only hero was Adolf Hitler. This comment caused a lot of controversy. Kỳ later repeated the statement. He also said that if an elected leader was a communist, he would fight them militarily.

In another interview in 1965, Kỳ admitted that the communists were "closer to the people's yearning for social justice and an independent life" than his own government.

1967 Elections

In the 1967 presidential election, Kỳ was expected to run for president. However, he decided to support Nguyễn Văn Thiệu instead. Kỳ later called this "the biggest mistake of my life." Thiệu chose Kỳ as his running mate. They won the election with 35 percent of the vote.

There were rumors that the election was not fair. Reports said that a secret military committee, controlled by Kỳ, would shape policy. Kỳ denied these reports, but later information showed that such a committee did exist. It was meant to control the government behind the scenes.

The election campaign faced criticism from the U.S. media. They reported on unfair practices. Kỳ and Thiệu did not campaign much in public. They felt that public events might lead to heckling. They preferred to appear at formal events, like giving land titles to farmers. Kỳ openly showed his dislike for his opponents. He called them "traitors."

Vice President (1967–1971)

Kỳ served as vice president under President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu. However, there was a strong rivalry between them. Kỳ became less influential. After the Tết Offensive in 1968, Thiệu strengthened his own power. Kỳ's supporters in the military and government were removed. This ended Kỳ's hopes of having power through the military committee.

Kỳ planned to run against Thiệu in the 1971 elections. But Thiệu passed laws that made it hard for most rivals to run. Kỳ realized the election would not be fair, so he withdrew from politics. Thiệu then ran unopposed and won the election. Kỳ retired from public life.

Life After the War

After South Vietnam fell to North Vietnam in April 1975, Kỳ left the country. He went to the United States and settled in Westminster, California. He later wrote two books about his experiences.

In 2004, Kỳ made headlines by returning to Vietnam. He was the first former South Vietnamese leader to do so. Many anti-communist groups in the Vietnamese American community did not approve of this. Kỳ said that the Vietnam War was "instigated by foreigners." He believed that Vietnamese people should reconcile and focus on the future.

Kỳ later returned to Vietnam permanently. He worked to encourage more foreign investment in the country. He also helped organize trips for potential U.S. investors.

Personal Style

Kỳ was known for his flashy style when he was younger. He often wore a black flight suit with a silk scarf. He and his wife sometimes wore matching outfits. He was also known for his love of gambling. Some people called him an "unguided missile."

Once, when he was a young pilot, Kỳ landed a helicopter in front of a girlfriend's house to impress her. This caused panic and upset his commander. Many people in South Vietnam thought his style was too wild. They sometimes called him a "cowboy" or a "hooligan." During his only public campaign appearance in 1967, a crowd in Huế called him a "hooligan leader."

A journalist named Oriana Fallaci interviewed Kỳ in 1968. She later wrote that Kỳ was a surprising leader. He spoke openly about the problems in South Vietnam. He even agreed with some of the social goals of Ho Chi Minh. Fallaci praised him, saying he was "the only possible leader in a country painfully poor in leaders."

Family Life

Kỳ married his first wife, a Frenchwoman, in the 1950s. In the 1960s, he divorced her. He then married Đặng Tuyết Mai, who was a flight attendant. She was his wife during his time in power. He later married a third time.

His daughter from his second marriage, Nguyễn Cao Kỳ Duyên, is well-known in the Vietnamese entertainment world. She is a master of ceremonies and singer.

Death

Nguyễn Cao Kỳ passed away on July 23, 2011. He was 80 years old. He died in a hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He was receiving treatment for breathing problems. He was survived by six children. His ashes are buried at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier, California.

Honours

National Honours

•  South Vietnam:
  • National Order of Vietnam (Grand Officer)
  • Military Merit Medal
  • Army Distinguished Service Order (1st class)
  • Air Force Meritorious Service Medal
  • Special Service Medal
  • Vietnamese Gallantry Cross
  • Air Gallantry Cross (Gold wing)
  • Wound Medal
  • Armed Forces Honor Medal (1st class)
  • Vietnam Staff Service Medal (1st class)
  • Vietnam Campaign Medal
  • Military Service Medal (2nd class)
  • Vietnam Air Service Medal (1st class)

Foreign Honour

•  Malaysia:
  • Honorary Grand Commander of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (S.M.N.) (1965)

Images for kids

• 

  Kỳ (far right) with U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson, General William Westmoreland, and President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu in October 1966.

• 

  Kỳ with Lyndon Johnson during the Honolulu summit in Hawaiʻi in 1966.

• 

  Kỳ with Prime Minister Harold Holt during his visit to Australia in 1967.

• 

  Kỳ in March 1967.

• 

  Nguyễn Cao Kỳ on October 24, 1966, at the Manila Conference of SEATO nations.

• 

  Kỳ aboard USS Midway during Operation Frequent Wind in April 1975.

See also

In Spanish: Nguyễn Cao Kỳ para niños