Trần Văn Lắm, also known as Charles Trần Văn Lắm (30 July 1913 – 6 February 2001), was a South Vietnamese diplomat and politician, who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Vietnam under Prime Minister Trần Thiện Khiêm during the height of the Vietnam War. He was most notable for his role in the Paris Peace Accords that occurred in 1973. In the late 1950s to early 1960s he served as the South Vietnamese Ambassador to both Australia and New Zealand. Lắm served as the President of the Senate of the Republic of Vietnam from 1973 until the Fall of Saigon in 1975.[1]
Trần Văn Lắm | |
---|---|
![]() Lắm being interviewed in 1971 | |
2nd President of the Senate of South Vietnam | |
In office October 1973 – 30 April 1975 | |
Preceded by | Nguyễn Văn Huyền |
Succeeded by | Position abolished |
Minister of Foreign Affairs of South Vietnam | |
In office 1 September 1969 – 11 July 1973 | |
Prime Minister | Trần Thiện Khiêm |
Preceded by | Đồng Quang Minh |
Succeeded by | Vương Văn Bắc |
South Vietnamese Ambassador to Australia | |
In office 1961–1964 | |
Preceded by | Position established |
Succeeded by | Nguyễn Văn Hiếu |
South Vietnamese Ambassador to New Zealand | |
In office 1961–1964 | |
Preceded by | Position established |
Succeeded by | Nguyễn Văn Hiếu |
Personal details | |
Born | 30 July 1913 Chợ Lớn, Saigon, Cochinchina, French Indochina |
Died | 6 February 2001 (aged 87) Canberra, Australia |
Political party | ![]() |
Other political affiliations | ![]() |
Spouse | Trương Thị Bảy |
Children | 9 (3 sons; 6 daughters) |
Alma mater | Hanoi Medical University |
Signature | ![]() |
When Saigon fell in 1975, Trần Văn Lắm was required to sign an undertaking not to take part in any political activities as a condition for his entry into Australia. He moved to Canberra where he and his wife opened a coffee shop. On 6 February 2001, Charles Trần Văn Lắm died in his Canberra home, aged 87.[2]
Early life
editThe son of a well-to-do ethnic Chinese real estate owner, Tran Van Lam was born in Saigon Cholon. He was educated at Hanoi Medical University and trained as a pharmacist. He was the founding Secretary General of the Vietnam Pharmacists Association before his election to the Saigon City Council in 1952, near the end of French colonial rule.[citation needed]
Rise to power
editHe moved up to the national legislature and was speaker of the Constituent Assembly in the 1950s and the majority leader of the Assembly after that. In 1961, President Ngô Đình Diệm appointed him ambassador to Australia and New Zealand.[3]
A soft-spoken urbane diplomat fluent in French and English, he remained in the post after Diệm's assassination in 1963. Mr. Lam returned to private life as chairman of the Vietnam Commercial and Industrial Bank from 1964 to 1967. In 1969 he became the minister for foreign affairs of South Vietnam.[4]
Media
editAll Points of the Compass A Vietnamese Diaspora (2005) Directed by Judy Rymer, Australian Broadcasting Corporation OCLC 156899092
Charles Trần Van Lam had the ill-fated destiny to be foreign minister of South Vietnam during the devastating war with the North. He was a patriot, committed to seeing his country emerge from its colonial history. He was also the father of nine children, who with his wife formed a seemingly privileged family, which dined together, had vacations at the beach, learned musical instruments, and were instilled with their Vietnamese identity. As the war intensified, he and his wife made provisions for the children to leave the country. The nine children were dispersed to Australia, France, the U.S. and Scotland. The hope was that they would be educated abroad and bring their talents back to their native country.
That was not to be. Trần Van Lam was betrayed by the United States, his ally against the North. While he was a delegate to the Paris peace talks, Henry Kissinger secretly arranged the pull out with the North. Fortunate to be airlifted out at the fall of Saigon, he and his wife finally emigrated to Australia with one small bag, where they ultimately opened a coffee shop.
The adult children, now in mid -career with families of their own, speak poignantly about their experience of dislocation. They each longed to be re-united as a family and had to struggle to forge a new identity in a foreign land. They were all deeply affected by their father's expectations to become accomplished and"give back." Each one feels "multicultural." All Points of the Compass is at once a gripping portrait of the "immigrant experience" and a new perspective on the American role in the Vietnam War.
Best Documentary, ACT Film Awards, 2004 Bilan du Film Ethnographic, Paris, 2005
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Saxon, Wolfgang (20 March 2001). "Tran Van Lam, 88, Top South Vietnam Aide". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.
- ^ Saxon, Wolfgang (20 March 2001). "Tran Van Lam, 88, Top South Vietnam Aide". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.
- ^ Corfield, Justin (2013). Historical Dictionary of Ho Chi Minh City. p. 304. ISBN 9781783083336.
- ^ Towle, Philip (2000). Democracy and Peace Making: Negotiations and Debates 1815-1973. p. 178. ISBN 9780415214711.
External links
edit- http://www.abc.net.au/tv/guide/netw/200505/programs/ZY7551A001D1052005T193000.htm "All Points of the Compass" ABC TV Guide
- https://web.archive.org/web/20070927092445/http://www.filmakers.com/indivs/AllPointsCompass.htm
- http://www.abc.net.au/abccontentsales/s1171924.htm www.abc.net.au/abccontentsales/s1171924.htm
- http://www.abc.net.au/programsales/s1216105.htm
- http://www.theage.com.au/news/TV--Radio/A-loving-story/2005/04/27/1114462046661.html "A Loving Story" The Age, 28 April 2005
- http://nla.gov.au/nla.cs-pa-HTTP%253A%252F%252FNAA12.NAA.GOV.AU%252FSCRIPTS%252FSEARCHOLD.ASP%253FO%253DPSI2%2526NUMBER%253D8905763 - Charles Tran Van Lam presenting a cheque to the University of Sydney Chancellor on 6 October 1963
- https://web.archive.org/web/20070927234903/http://www.rummage.com.au/AAPView.aspx?id=101432 - Article: 22 April 2005, Sydney
- http://ozevents.blogspot.com/2005_05_01_archive.html
- https://web.archive.org/web/20070927035355/http://timelines.ws/countries/VIETNAMA.HTML Vietnam Timeline from 600 BC through 1973
- https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE1D6103DF933A15750C0A9679C8B63
- http://www.nixonlibrary.gov/forresearchers/find/tapes/finding_aids/january1973.php Nixom White House Tapes
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDUSNb-GO0s South Vietnamese Senate Chairman Charles Tran Van Lam speaks about South Vietnam's disappointment in the USA