A Vietnamese Royal Exile in Japan: Prince Cuong De (1882-1951)

Prince Cuong De, viewed by the French as a pretender to the Vietnamese throne, was an important and interesting figure in the history of Vietnam's struggle for independence, but who, highly regarded by many non-communist Vietnamese Nationalists, has been 'written out' of Vietnamese history by the communists. This book is based on extensive original research, including interviews and important documents the French national archives. It traces the life of Cuong De as a royal exile in Japan, exploring his links to key Japanese leaders and how he campaigned for his cause and was support in Japan, Vietnam and elsewhere. It shows how Cuong De had great hopes that imperial Japan would advance the cause of non-communist Vietnamese nationalism, especially during the Japanese occupation of Vietnam in 1941-1945, but how these hopes were disappointed as Japan's Indochina policy gave primacy to Japan's own economic and strategic self-interest. The book provides many fascinating insights on the developmentof Vietnamese nationalism and thong, harsh struggle for independence, form the perspective of an interesting and undeservedly neglected figure.

Tran My-Van is Associate Professor and Program Director at the School of International Studies, University of South Australia.