Trần Quốc Hoàn (23 January 1916 – 5 September 1986) was the first and longest-serving Minister of Public Security of North Vietnam. He served in that role from 1952 through unification to 1981. He laid the foundation for structure of Vietnam's security services.[1] He was a member of the Politburo from 1972 until 1980.

Trần Quốc Hoàn
Minister of Public Security of North Vietnam
In office
1952–1981
Preceded byNew post
Personal details
Born
Nguyễn Trọng Cảnh

(1916-01-23)23 January 1916
Nam Trung, Nam Đàn District, Nghệ An Province, Vietnam
Died5 September 1986(1986-09-05) (aged 70)
Political partyCommunist Party of Vietnam

Early life

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He was born as Nguyễn Trọng Cảnh on 23 January 1916, in Nam Trung village, Nam Đàn District, Nghệ An Province. He participated in the 1930 uprising, and joined the Indochina Communist party in March 1934. During the late 1930s he was involved with the student movement in Huế and Hanoi, as well as various youth organizations. He joined the Indochina Democratic Front (Mặt trận Thống nhất Dân chủ Đông Dương) and was Secretary of the Committee (1937–1939). In May 1940, he was arrested and sent to the prison at Sơn La. Released in May 1945, he continued his revolutionary activities, becoming Party Secretary for Tonkin. In 1951 he was elected to the Party Central Committee and made Deputy Minister of police. On 2 May 1952 he became Director General of Public Security of Vietnam,[2] and the following year the agency's name was changed to Ministry of Security (Bộ Công an) with Trần Quốc Hoàn at its head.[3]

Minister of Security

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Trần was known as the Beria of Vietnam, in reference to Lavrentiy Beria, Joseph Stalin's notorious secret police chief.[4]

Honors

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A street in the Cầu Giấy District of Hanoi is named after Trần Quốc Hoàn.[5]

Notes

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  1. ^ "Bộ trưởng Trần Quốc Hoàn chỉ đạo chuyên án PY27 (Minister Tran Quoc Hoan professional judgment directing PY27)" (in Vietnamese). Báo Công An Nhân Dân. 21 August 2006.
  2. ^ "Sắc lệnh số 113/SL về việc bổ nhiệm ông Trần Quốc Hoàn giữ chức Giám đốc Nha công an (Decree 113/SL on the appointment of Mr. Tran Quoc Hoan to serve as director of public security)" (in Vietnamese). Thư Viện Pháp Luật (Law Library, Vietnam Ministry of Legal Administration).
  3. ^ "Nội dung chính sách thành tựu: Giai Đoạn 1945–1954: Kháng Chiến Và Kiến Quốc: VI- Đẩy Mạnh Cuộc Kháng Chiến Chống Pháp (Substantive policy achievements: Period 1945–1954 National and War of Resistance: VI - Maintaining the war against France)" (in Vietnamese). Socialist Republic of Việt Nam Government Portal.
  4. ^ Hastings, Max (2018). Vietnam: An Epic Tragedy, 1945-1975. Harper. p. 121. ISBN 9780062405661.
  5. ^ "Các đường phố Hà Nội theo vần T (tiếp theo) (The streets of Hanoi alphabetically T (continued))" (in Vietnamese). Báo điện tử Đảng Cộng sản Việt Nam (Communist Party of Vietnam). 18 March 2010. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013.