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Born in 1924
Hanoi, Vietnam

South Vietnamese political figure

Madame Ngo Dinh Nhu is one of the most controversial figures of the early Vietnam War. As the sister-in-law of Ngo Dinh Diem (see entry), who served as the president of South Vietnam from 1954 to 1963, Madame Nhu acted as the unofficial first lady and held a great deal of influence in the government. She was beautiful and charming but also proved to be devious and power-hungry. She often embarrassed the president with her outrageous behavior and insensitive remarks. Many historians claim that she contributed to the downfall of Diem's government.

A privileged childhood

Madame Nhu was born in 1924 in Hanoi, Vietnam. Her name at birth was Tran Le Xuan, which means "beautiful spring" in Vietnamese. She was the second of three children born into a wealthy...