Linh Quang Viên

Who is Linh Quang Viên?

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 in, Cao Bang, northern Vietnam. He attended Albert Sarraut High School, Hanoi, and graduated in 1939.

In 1958, he graduated from the Command and General Staff College, [Fort Leavenworth], Kansas. He served in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam and rose to the rank of Lieutenant General, Chief of Staff Inter-armed Forces. He participated in many military cabinets between 1965 and 1974 during the various military junta's leadership after the fall of President Ngo Dinh Diem. Was Political Commissar in the Armed Forces Council, Head of the Central Intelligence Directorate, Minister of Information, Minister of National Security, and also Interior Minister for a short time.

In 1974, he retired from the South Vietnamese Armed Forces, but was soon appointed Ambassador to the Central Africa Republic and Tchad. He remained at these posts until the fall of the South VN in 1975. He was then offered asylum by France, went to Paris and stayed there until 1978 when he emigrated to the USA.