Government of Free Vietnam
Encyclopedia
Provisional Government of Free Vietnam (GFVN; ) is a paramilitary political organization headquartered in Garden Grove, California
and Missouri City, Texas
. On January 2, 2005, the Government of Free Vietnam's general assembly elected former General Nguyen Khanh
, a former head of state of the Republic of Vietnam
, as the GFVN's Chief of State.
political organization that was established on April 30, 1995, by its founder Nguyen Hoang Dan. Its headquarters are in both Garden Grove, California
and Missouri City, Texas
.
Prior to 2005, the GFVN, was actively trying to remove the Communist government militarily, but due to the threat of being listed a terrorist organization, they ceased military operations. The current organization's goal is to remove the government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
politically.
In 1995, Nguyen Huu Chanh
was chosen as the Prime Minister, General Linh Quang Vien
as Vice Prime Minister, Admiral Lam Nguon Tanh
as Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Nguyen Khac Chinh
as the Minister of Information, Nguyen Huy Dau
as Minister of Justice, Nguyen Son Ha as Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Edgar Foshee
as Chairman of the International Committee, and Ngo Trong Anh
as President of the advisory council.
The Government of Free Vietnam claims 6,000 members and 100,000 supporters. They also claim 75 chapters in Asia
, Australia
, and Europe
. Although the GFVN prides itself on its widespread support, many argue that the GFVN never received a true mandate to represent the Vietnamese diaspora community.
On January 2, 2005, the Government of Free Vietnam's general assembly elected General Nguyen Khanh
, a former head of state of the Republic of Vietnam, as the GFVN's Chief of State. Mr. Nguyen Huy Dau
and Mr. Nguyen Khac Chinh
, Esq. were also elected president of the Judiciary Council and the National Assembly, respectively.
to disrupt national Vietnam
festivals. The individuals were suspected members of the Government of Free Vietnam.
In September 2000, the Government of Free Vietnam was alleged to be involved in arson at the Vietnamese Embassy compound in London
, England.
In April 2001, the Government of Free Vietnam was alleged to have caused a bomb to explode at the Vietnamese embassy in Phnom Penh
, injuring a guard.
In September 2001, Philippine police charged three suspected members for allegedly plotting to bomb the Vietnamese embassy in Manila
, they suspected that the Government of Free Vietnam was involved.
In October 2001, The Government of Free Vietnam gained greater attention when a member, Vo Duc Van
, was arrested at John Wayne Airport
(Orange County Airport) for the attempted bombing of the Vietnamese embassy in Bangkok
, Thailand. The arrest led to an outcry by the Communist Vietnamese government to pressure the United States to shutdown the Government of Free Vietnam and led to FBI investigations into Nguyen Huu Chanh and the organization, and demonstrations in support of Vo Duc Van
from Vietnamese American
communities.
Recently, three US citizens were arrested in Vietnam for plotting to set up an anti-communist broadcast station within the country.
In 2004, Nguyen Huu Chanh promised to organize a political upheaval similar to Tiananmen Square Protest 1989 to overthrow Vietnamese communist government in year 2005, but this never materialized. Later, Nguyen Huu Chanh officially stepped down as leader of this organization.
1 million a year, mostly donated by Vietnamese businessmen around the world.
Garden Grove, California
Garden Grove is a city located in northern Orange County, California. The population was 170,883 at the 2010 census. State Route 22, also known as the Garden Grove Freeway, passes through the city running east-west. The city is known outside the Southern California area for being the home of Robert H...
and Missouri City, Texas
Missouri City, Texas
Missouri City is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area. The city is mostly in Fort Bend County with a small portion within Harris County. As of the 2000 U.S...
. On January 2, 2005, the Government of Free Vietnam's general assembly elected former General Nguyen Khanh
Nguyen Khanh
Nguyễn Khánh is a former general in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam who variously served as Head of State and Prime minister of South Vietnam while at the head of a military junta from January 1964 until February 1965. He was involved in or against many coup attempts, failed and successful,...
, a former head of state of the Republic of Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
, as the GFVN's Chief of State.
History
The Government of Free Vietnam is an anti-communistAnti-communism
Anti-communism is opposition to communism. Organized anti-communism developed in reaction to the rise of communism, especially after the 1917 October Revolution in Russia and the beginning of the Cold War in 1947.-Objections to communist theory:...
political organization that was established on April 30, 1995, by its founder Nguyen Hoang Dan. Its headquarters are in both Garden Grove, California
Garden Grove, California
Garden Grove is a city located in northern Orange County, California. The population was 170,883 at the 2010 census. State Route 22, also known as the Garden Grove Freeway, passes through the city running east-west. The city is known outside the Southern California area for being the home of Robert H...
and Missouri City, Texas
Missouri City, Texas
Missouri City is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within the metropolitan area. The city is mostly in Fort Bend County with a small portion within Harris County. As of the 2000 U.S...
.
Prior to 2005, the GFVN, was actively trying to remove the Communist government militarily, but due to the threat of being listed a terrorist organization, they ceased military operations. The current organization's goal is to remove the government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
politically.
In 1995, Nguyen Huu Chanh
Nguyen Huu Chanh
Nguyễn Hữu Chánh a Vietnamese-American, born in 1952, in Vietnam. He is the founder and former Prime Minister of the an anti-communist organization known as The Government of Free Vietnam...
was chosen as the Prime Minister, General Linh Quang Vien
Linh Quang Vien
Linh Quang Viên was a Vietnamese soldier who rose to the rank of Lieutenant General in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam.Vien was born on November 11, 1918, Cao Bang, northern Vietnam. He attended Albert Sarraut High School, Hanoi, and graduated in 1939....
as Vice Prime Minister, Admiral Lam Nguon Tanh
Lam Nguon Tanh
Rear Admiral Lam Nguon Tanh last was Chief of Naval Operations of the Republic of Vietnam Navy during the Vietnam War. In 1974, he took part in the Battle of Hoang Sa between China...
as Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Nguyen Khac Chinh
Nguyen Khac Chinh
Nguyen Khac Chinh was born on February 16, 1924, Quang Nam Province, Vietnam.-Early life:He graduated Sorbonne Law School in Paris, France....
as the Minister of Information, Nguyen Huy Dau
Nguyen Huy Dau
Nguyen Huy Dau was born on May 8, 1914, in Vietnam.-Biography:In 1952, he graduated from Hanoi University School of Law degree and awarded a Doctorate Degree....
as Minister of Justice, Nguyen Son Ha as Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Edgar Foshee
Edgar Foshee
Sergeant Major Edgar Foshee, a devout anti-communist, served as a combat medic in the U.S. Army Special Forces. His former wife Thong Nguyen Cuc Foshee was held without formal charge by the government of Vietnam starting in September 2005...
as Chairman of the International Committee, and Ngo Trong Anh
Ngo Trong Anh
Ngo Trong Anh was born in Vietnam.-Biography:He was born on 26 November 1926, Huế, Vietnam.He served in the Republic of Vietnam administration as Minister of Transportation and Public Works 1965-1966 and as Secretary of State, Founder of the National Supervisory Institute in 1966.He was...
as President of the advisory council.
The Government of Free Vietnam claims 6,000 members and 100,000 supporters. They also claim 75 chapters in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Although the GFVN prides itself on its widespread support, many argue that the GFVN never received a true mandate to represent the Vietnamese diaspora community.
On January 2, 2005, the Government of Free Vietnam's general assembly elected General Nguyen Khanh
Nguyen Khanh
Nguyễn Khánh is a former general in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam who variously served as Head of State and Prime minister of South Vietnam while at the head of a military junta from January 1964 until February 1965. He was involved in or against many coup attempts, failed and successful,...
, a former head of state of the Republic of Vietnam, as the GFVN's Chief of State. Mr. Nguyen Huy Dau
Nguyen Huy Dau
Nguyen Huy Dau was born on May 8, 1914, in Vietnam.-Biography:In 1952, he graduated from Hanoi University School of Law degree and awarded a Doctorate Degree....
and Mr. Nguyen Khac Chinh
Nguyen Khac Chinh
Nguyen Khac Chinh was born on February 16, 1924, Quang Nam Province, Vietnam.-Early life:He graduated Sorbonne Law School in Paris, France....
, Esq. were also elected president of the Judiciary Council and the National Assembly, respectively.
Political goals
The Government of Free Vietnam (GFVN) says the political goals of the organization are to:- dismantle the Communist government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam by a peaceful, practical and persistent approach;
- establish a free and fair elected government of Vietnam;
- establish a practical free market economic system; and
- prohibit all forms of provocation.
Actions
In 1999, Vietnamese police arrested 38 members and seized 37 kilograms of explosives in connection with a plot to bomb statues of Ho Chi MinhHo Chi Minh
Hồ Chí Minh , born Nguyễn Sinh Cung and also known as Nguyễn Ái Quốc, was a Vietnamese Marxist-Leninist revolutionary leader who was prime minister and president of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam...
to disrupt national Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
festivals. The individuals were suspected members of the Government of Free Vietnam.
In September 2000, the Government of Free Vietnam was alleged to be involved in arson at the Vietnamese Embassy compound in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England.
In April 2001, the Government of Free Vietnam was alleged to have caused a bomb to explode at the Vietnamese embassy in Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...
, injuring a guard.
In September 2001, Philippine police charged three suspected members for allegedly plotting to bomb the Vietnamese embassy in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, they suspected that the Government of Free Vietnam was involved.
In October 2001, The Government of Free Vietnam gained greater attention when a member, Vo Duc Van
Vo Duc Van
Vo Duc Van also known as Nguyen Nha Trang is a Vietnamese-American who emigrated to the United States in 1980. In 2001 he was arrested for his part in the attempted bombing of the Vietnamese embassy in Thailand...
, was arrested at John Wayne Airport
John Wayne Airport
John Wayne Airport is an airport in an unincorporated area in Orange County, California, with its mailing address in the city of Santa Ana, which is also the county seat, hence the International Air Transport Association airport code. The main entrance to the airport is off of MacArthur Blvd in...
(Orange County Airport) for the attempted bombing of the Vietnamese embassy in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, Thailand. The arrest led to an outcry by the Communist Vietnamese government to pressure the United States to shutdown the Government of Free Vietnam and led to FBI investigations into Nguyen Huu Chanh and the organization, and demonstrations in support of Vo Duc Van
Vo Duc Van
Vo Duc Van also known as Nguyen Nha Trang is a Vietnamese-American who emigrated to the United States in 1980. In 2001 he was arrested for his part in the attempted bombing of the Vietnamese embassy in Thailand...
from Vietnamese American
Vietnamese American
A Vietnamese American is an American of Vietnamese descent. They make up about half of all overseas Vietnamese and are the fourth-largest Asian American group....
communities.
Recently, three US citizens were arrested in Vietnam for plotting to set up an anti-communist broadcast station within the country.
In 2004, Nguyen Huu Chanh promised to organize a political upheaval similar to Tiananmen Square Protest 1989 to overthrow Vietnamese communist government in year 2005, but this never materialized. Later, Nguyen Huu Chanh officially stepped down as leader of this organization.
Economy
The GFVN has an apparent budget of about US$United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
1 million a year, mostly donated by Vietnamese businessmen around the world.
See also
- Vietnamese Constitutional Monarchist LeagueVietnamese Constitutional Monarchist LeagueVietnamese Constitutional Monarchist League , .-History:The Vietnamese Constitutional Monarchist League is an anti-communist organization that was established in 1993 by its first President Nguyễn Phúc Bửu Chánh, a self-claimed member of the Vietnamese royal family who fled from Vietnam for...
- Vang PaoVang PaoVang Pao was a Lieutenant General in the Royal Lao Army. He was an ethnic Hmong and a leader of the Hmong American community in the United States.-Early life:...
- Chhun YasithChhun YasithChhun Yasith is a Cambodian American who led a failed coup d’état in Cambodia in 2000.-Biography:Yasith left Cambodia in the early 1980s, amid the disarray following the Vietnamese invasion that deposed the Khmer Rouge régime from power. He emigrated to the United States in 1982 and became a tax...
- leader of the Cambodian Freedom FightersCambodian Freedom FightersThe Cambodian Freedom Fighters is an anti-communist political and paramilitary organization that was established on October 21, 1989, by its founder, Chhun Yasith, at Poipet near the Cambodian-Thai border. Their headquarters are in Long Beach, California, United States...
(CFF) that was arrested in the United States for his plot to overthrow the Cambodian government under the leadership of Prime Minister Hun SenHun SenHun Sen is the current Prime Minister of Cambodia.He has been the sole leader of the Cambodian People's Party , which has governed Cambodia since the Vietnamese-backed overthrow of the Khmer Rouge in 1979...
External links
- Vietnam: 37 jailed on terrorism charges BBC NEWS
- Terror Made in the U.S.A.
- Vietnam Calls O.C. Group Terrorists by Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles TimesThe Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
- Vietnam tries opposition group BBC NEWS
- Vietnam court jails US citizens "BBC NEWS"