Khương Hữu Long

In this Vietnamese name, the surname is Khương, but is often simplified to Khuong in English-language text. In accordance with Vietnamese custom, this person should be referred to by the given name, Long.
Khương Hữu Long
Minister of Health under the Last Emperor of VietNam Bao Dai
In office
2 June 1946 – 10 November 1946
MonarchBảo Đại

Khương Hữu Long (1890 – 1983) was a prominent Vietnamese medical doctor for over 70 years, beginning in the 1930s.

Education

He completed the French "Diplome" (Thành Chung – thời nầy Việt Nam chưa có bằng Tú Tài cũa Pháp )- from Hanoi. He graduated from the only French-established medical school in Vietnam, Hanoi Medical University – Fourth Class of Medicin.

Family

Khương was born in Vinh Long in 1890, a direct descendant of an aristocrat Khương Hữu family. His brother Khương Hữu Phi saw the potential in Khương, and gave him $5,000 piastres (at a time when a new car cost $200) to pursue and complete his medical training from Hanoi Medical University. He married Nguyễn Thị Thạch (who came from the ancient city/capital Huế ). They had 5 children, including two adopted from his younger Khương Hữu Lân : Khương Hữu Thị Ngàn, [1] Khương Hữu Cân,[1] Dr. Khương Hữu Hỗ,[1] Khương Hữu Hội,[2] and Khương Hữu Thị Hiệp (wife of physician Hồ Trung Dũng). [3]

Medical Practice and Political Life

After graduating from medical school, he worked for a French Hospital in Vĩnh Long for several years and established his own medical practice. This was the most reputable medical care center in the city at the time.

Subsequently, upon the request of his Majesty Emperor Bao Đai and his colleague, Prime Minister-to-be Nguyễn_Văn_Thinh [vi] he joined the first Independent Self-Governed Administration [Cộng Hòa Tự Trị Nam Kỳ] as Minister of Health. After finding out that the French Colonization government was using him to manipulate the Vietnamese people and that the return of independence to Vietnam was part of its calculated move, Thinh hanged himself in protest. Dr. Khương Hữu Long resigned with his colleagues and the government was dissolved.

Dr. Khương was responsible for teaching leaders in Vietnam such as Trần Ngọc Liễng, Trần Văn Hương, et al. Dr. Khương recommended Ngo Dinh Diem to Cardinal Cushing, who later introduced to him to Dwight D. Eisenhower and Senator John F. Kennedy. This introduction and mentoring led to recognition of Ngo Dinh Diem by the French government and Emperor Bao Dai.

Life in retirement

Dr. Khương remained a private citizen and practiced medicine until 1970. He died in 1983 at the age of 93.

References

  1. ^ a b c "Ngan_Thi_H_Khuong_Descendants_Tree".
  2. ^ "Hoi_H_Khuong".
  3. ^ "Hiep_Thi_H_Khuong".
  • Motoo Furuta, Takashi Shiraishi (1992). Indochina in the 1940s and 1950s: Translation of Contemporary Japanese Scholarship on Southeast Asia. SEAP Publications. ISBN 0-87727-401-0.
  • McHale, Shawn (2004). Print and Power: Confucianism, Communism, and Buddhism in the Making of Modern Vietnam. University of Hawaii. ISBN 0-8248-2655-8.
  • Vu Ngu Chieu (February 1986). "The Other Side of the 1945 Vietnamese Revolution: The Empire of Viet-Nam". Journal of Asian Studies. 45 (2).