INDO-CHINA: The New Frontier

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In Paris, Ho (then known as Nguyen Ai Quoc) became a photographer's assistant, wrote anti-imperialist articles. He also joined the French Communist Party. He was sent to Moscow for training, became a Comintern functionary, re-emerged in 1925 at Canton, where he helped Russian Agent Borodin in Communism's first attempt to seize China.

From Hong Kong in 1931 Ho Chi Minh organized the first Indo-Chinese Communist Party. The British clapped him into jail for a year. When he came out, he continued organizing Red cells in his country. Japan and World War II gave him his big chance.

Using popular front-tactics, Ho established the Viet Minh—League for the Independence of Viet Nam. It directed guerrilla war against both Vichy French and Japanese, enlisted the support of many Indo-Chinese nationalists. American OSS agents and arms were parachuted to Ho's side.

"Uncle Ho." By the time the French were ready to pick up the postwar strings again in Indo-China, Communist Ho was very much a popular hero, better known as "Uncle Ho." He spoke a "soft" Communist line, talked more about freedom, democracy and reform. Bao Dai was in a different position. He had suffered in reputation because he had "gotten along" with Vichy French and Japanese.

The returning French began negotiations with the Viet Minh leader. There were polite hints that Bao Dai must go—he was too "unpopular." Bao abdicated, and Ho was in the saddle.

Bao Dai stayed on in Indo-China for a while, as plain citizen Nguyen Vinh Thuy and Honorary Councilor to the Republic. Nobody had much use for him. He went abroad and flung himself into a reckless round of pleasure and sport.

Playboy. Most of his time he spent at Cannes, on the French Riviera, where he had bought the palatial Château de Thorenc (reported purchase price: $250,000). In his garage were a pale blue Lincoln convertible, a black Citroen limousine, a blue Simca "Gordoni" one-seat racer, a sleek Italian two-seater, a Simca-8 sports model. He also kept several motorcycles. He insisted that every engine run "as accurately as a watch."

He dallied in the bars and casinos, chain-smoked cheap Gauloise cigarettes, treated hangers-on to champagne and caviar, played roulette for 10,000-franc chips ("His Majesty's losses," remarked a croupier, "befitted his rank"), sometimes conducted jazz bands, sent his secretary to open negotiations with the many women who caught his eye. ("My grandfather had 125 wives and 300 children," Bao Dai once remarked to a journalist. "I have a few mistresses. What then?") He played golf capably and bridge like a master. A crack shot with rifle or revolver, he often arranged target competitions with the château's servants.