Nguyen Ton Hoan, 84; Vietnamese Official Backed Independence
Dr. Nguyen Ton Hoan, 84, for seven months the vice premier of South Vietnam and longtime leader of the Dai Viet, or Greater Vietnam Party of Vietnamese Nationalists opposed to both French and communist rule, died Sept. 19 in Mountain View, Calif.
Born in Tay Ninh, South Vietnam, Hoan was trained as a physician at the University of Hanoi but devoted his life primarily to politics. He led a Vietnamese student resistance movement against the French and helped found the Dai Viet in 1939.
When communists invaded, he fled briefly to China, and after a stint as Vietnamese minister of youth and sports, to France. He was invited home in February 1964 to become vice premier to Maj. Gen. Nguyen Khanh. Hoan worked for ethnic minorities, land reform and free elections aimed toward civilian government--unpopular goals with the military regime. He resigned that September and returned to France.
He immigrated to Northern California the following year, after arguing with President Charles de Gaulle over French policy in Vietnam. Hoan operated a Vietnamese restaurant, but continued working for a democratic, independent Vietnam.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
