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South Vietnam. Diem Regime. Emperor Boa Dai. Playboy lifestyle Had 5 wives and a lot of mistresses Prime Minister Ngo Dinh Diem removed Emperor using a referendum widely thought to be fraudulent. Ngo Dinh Diem. Referendum was rigged, with Diem gaining 98% of the vote.
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South Vietnam Diem Regime
Emperor Boa Dai Playboy lifestyle Had 5 wives and a lot of mistresses Prime Minister Ngo Dinh Diem removed Emperor using a referendum widely thought to be fraudulent
Ngo Dinh Diem • Referendum was rigged, with Diem gaining 98% of the vote. • Diem’s rule was authoritarian and nepotistic (favouring his family) • Ngo Dinh Nhi was his brother and trusted official. • He was an opium addict and admired Hitler. • Secret Police was styled on the Gestapo
Family Corruption • Widely believed to be involved in smuggling rice to North Vietnam and Opium throughout Asia.
Madame Nhu • Vietnams first lady, Dragon Lady of Vietnam • Enjoyed power, “Power is wonderful, total power is totally wonderful” • Catholic values formed the policy • Brothels, opium dens closed, divorce and abortion illegal and adultery laws strengthened.
Religious Sects • Under the Diem Regime the Hoa Hao and Cao Dai Sects were crushed • Discrimination • Ban on flying the Buddhist Flag
Protests against the Government • Quang Duc, 73 year old monk • Protesting the anti-Buddhist policies • Madame Nhu hoped for more “barbecues” • Ngo Dinh Nhi “offered to supply the gasoline”
Anti-Communist • Tortures and killings of "communist suspects" were committed on a daily basis • The death toll was put at around 50,000 with 75,000 imprisonments, and Diệm's effort extended beyond communists to anti-communist dissidents and anti-corruption whistleblowers