Join host Kenneth Nguyen and series co-host Kevin Pham, author of The Architects of Dignity, in this sub-series of the podcast, exploring the key figures and moments in Vietnamese history.

In this episode of Viet History Makers, we delve into one of the most polarizing figures in Vietnam’s modern history: Ngô Đình Diệm, the first president of the Republic of Vietnam. Often portrayed as either a staunch nationalist who sought to forge a stable, independent South Vietnam or as an authoritarian leader whose policies deepened divisions within the country, Diệm’s legacy is anything but straightforward.

Join us as we unravel the life and death of Ngô Đình Diệm, exploring the forces that shaped him, his rise to power, and the controversies that defined his presidency. From his early days as a devout Catholic in a predominantly Buddhist country to his role in the escalating tensions of the Cold War, we reflect on how his vision for Vietnam collided with both internal dissent and external pressures.

Whether you see President Ngô Đình Diệm as a tragic figure, a flawed leader, or a symbol of a divided movement, this episode invites you to understand the man behind the myth, in the broader context of Vietnam’s struggle for identity and sovereignty.

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Kevin D. Pham is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Amsterdam. His research introduces Vietnamese political thought to the academic field of political theory, showing how Vietnamese thinkers challenge and enhance conventional Western understandings of important political concepts.

He co-hosts Nam Phong Dialogues, a podcast in which he and Yen Vu have casual chats about Vietnamese history and being Vietnamese American. He is the author of The Architects of Dignity: Vietnamese Visions of Decolonization (Oxford University Press, 2024).

Kevindoanpham.com

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Many of you still have the chance to record and preserve the legacies of your own families. I’ve sat with families now for interview sessions to record the rich histories of parents and explore the lives of the generations that preceded them. Don’t let your family stories go untold! Take a moment to reach out and together we will bring out your family’s story on a recorded journey. - Kenneth Nguyen

Visit vietnamstorybank.com today for more information!

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The Unimagined Community: Imperialism and Culture in South Vietnam

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