UpDate - Vol. 13, No. 31, Page 4
May 12, 1994
Former Vietnamese leader to speak on balance of power

     Gen. Nguyen Khanh, former chief of state of the Republic of Vietnam
and commander-in-chief of the ARVN (1964-1965), will speak at the
University at 7:30 p.m., Monday, May 16, in Room 115 of Purnell Hall.
     The topic of his free public talk will be "The United States, Vietnam
and the Future Balance of Power in Asia."
     While on the campus, the general also will visit a University Honors
colloquium on "The Lessons of Vietnam," taught by Kenneth J. Campbell,
assistant professor in the University Honors Program and the Department of
Political Science and International Relations.
     Nguyen Khanh was born in Travinh, South Vietnam, on Nov. 8, 1927. He
graduated from the French Military Academy-Saint Cyr/ Coetquidam in 1947
and went on to establish a 20-year military career.
     During the course of his distinguished career, he served as general of
the army, commander-in-chief of the ARVN and was elected chief of state
(president) of the Republic of South Vietnam.
     In disagreement with the U.S. policy toward Vietnam, Gen. Khanh left
Saigon in February 1965 and lived in Europe until 1977.  Since 1977, he and
his wife, Nguyen Le Tran, have lived in the U.S. with four of their six
children.
     The general has said he always believed strongly in peace for his
country and that he feels that without peace Vietnam cannot be developed.
     He has said economic development is very important for the success of
the country and has been quoted as calling Vietnam "the next dragon in
Asia."
     For the last four years, he has traveled abroad meeting with
Vietnamese communities worldwide and also with officials in Paris,
Washington, D.C., Beijing and Honduras regarding the future of Vietnam.
     He has served as a special consultant to Soditee Inc. in Paris, DSC
Communications Corp. in Texas, Global Development Group Inc. in San
Francisco, Aeroservicios Ltd. in Honduras, Global Economic Support Inc. in
California and Vietnamese-American corporations and private enterprises
throughout the United States.
     The Honors colloquium Gen. Khanh will visit deals with the Vietnam War
and its aftermath. He will be discussing his principal role during the
years of the American buildup in Vietnam in the early 1960s.
     In the class, students are discussing what America's objectives were
and what lessons can be learned from Vietnam.
     Campbell teaches courses in international relations, American foreign
policy, force and world politics and the Vietnam War. Prior to his academic
career, he has been a combat Marine, an anti-war activist, an industrial
laborer and a hospital technician.
     Gen. Khanh's appearance at the University is co-sponsored by the
Honors Program and the departments of History and Political Science and
International Relations and the Office of International Programs and
Special Sessions.