Nguyễn Lưu Viên (21 November 1919[1] – 18 September 2017) was a South Vietnamese doctor and politician who served as Deputy Prime Minister of South Vietnam under various prime ministers. He also served as Minister of Internal Affairs of South Vietnam under Prime Ministers Nguyễn Khánh and Trần Văn Hương.

Doctor
Nguyễn Lưu Viên
Dr. Viên in 1967
Deputy Prime Minister of South Vietnam
In office
1 September 1969 – 4 April 1975
Serving with Phan Quang Đán (1974–1975)
Prime MinisterTrần Thiện Khiêm
Preceded byTrần Thiện Khiêm
Succeeded by
In office
13 July 1966 – 28 October 1967
Serving with Nguyễn Hữu Có
Prime MinisterNguyễn Cao Kỳ
Preceded by
Succeeded byPhạm Đăng Lâm
In office
4 November 1964 – 16 February 1965
Prime Minister
Preceded by
Succeeded by
  • Nguyễn Văn Thiệu
  • Trần Văn Đỗ
  • Trần Văn Tuyên
Minister of Internal Affairs of South Vietnam
In office
4 September 1964 – 14 February 1965
Prime Minister
  • Nguyễn Khánh (1964)
  • Trần Văn Hương (1964–1965)
  • Nguyễn Xuân Oánh (acting; 1965)
Preceded byLâm Văn Phát
Succeeded byNguyễn Hòa Hiệp
Personal details
Born(1919-11-21)21 November 1919
Trà Vinh province, Cochinchina, French Indochina
Died18 September 2017(2017-09-18) (aged 97)
Springfield, Virginia, U.S.
Political party National Social Democratic Front
Other political
affiliations
Bloc for Liberty and Progress (1960–1963)
SpouseNguyễn Thị Trinh
Children3 sons
Parents
  • Nguyễn Thành Phương (father)
  • Trần Thị Ngọc (mother)
RelativesNguyễn Khánh (nephew)
Alma materHanoi Medical University (M.D.)

Biography

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He was born on 21 November 1919 to a wealthy family in Trà Vinh province. He earned his M.D. at the Hanoi Medical University[2] and worked as a doctor prior to entering politics.[3]

Fall of Saigon and life in exile

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As South Vietnam was on the verge of collapsing to the advancing forces of North Vietnam Viên left for Guam on 29 April, a day before the government of General Dương Văn Minh announced South Vietnam's surrender on 30 April 1975 to the Communist regime.[4] After arriving in Guam, Viên was then relocated to Camp Pendleton along with other Vietnamese refugees.[5][6] Afterward, Viên decided to further his studies in Oklahoma before deciding to relocate to Union City, Tennessee where he worked as a doctor at Baptist Memorial Hospital for 11 years.[7][8] In 1988, he retired and then relocated to Virginia where he would live out the remainder of his life.

He died at his home at the age of 97 in Springfield, Virginia on 18 September 2017.[9]

References

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  1. ^ "Who's who in Vietnam". 1967.
  2. ^ "Who's who in Vietnam". 1967.
  3. ^ "Bác Sĩ Nguyễn Lưu Viên (1919-2017)". 2017.
  4. ^ "Mạn Ðạm với BS Nguyễn Lưu Viên: Từ Hà Nội La Celle-Saint Cloud đến những ngày VNCH hấp hối" (PDF). 2001.
  5. ^ http://viteuu.blogspot.com/2013/12/man-am-voi-bs-nguyen-luu-vien-tu-hoi.html
  6. ^ "Một Nội Các Chết Non Của VNCH".
  7. ^ http://viteuu.blogspot.com/2013/12/man-am-voi-bs-nguyen-luu-vien-tu-hoi.html
  8. ^ "Bác Sĩ Nguyễn Lưu Viên (1919-2017)". 2017.
  9. ^ "Bác Sĩ Nguyễn Lưu Viên (1919-2017)". 2017.