Gilbert Trần Chánh Chiếu Explained

Trần Chánh Chiếu
Other Names:	Gilbert Chiếu Kỳ Lân Các
Occupation:	Businessman, Journalist

Gilbert Trần Chánh Chiếu (1868-1919) was a Vietnamese independence activist and the subject of "l'Affaire Gilbert Chieu". He used his French citizenship and his position as hotel owner, businessman, editor of the Saigon Quốc Ngữ newspaper Lục Tỉnh Tân Văn and the French version Le Moniteur des Provinces, as well as being one of the first attorneys at law in Saigon,^[1] to cover for the fact that he was in fact an agent of the Duy Tân Hội society based in Japan and led by Vietnamese revolutionaries Phan Bội Châu and Prince Cường Để.^{[2] [3]}

Hating Gibert Chiếu for his scornful attitude with them, some close-collaborators of the French tried to denounce his cooperation with Duy Tân Hội. At the end of October 1908, a series of 92 arrests was made, including Gilbert Chiếu himself, but at trial evidence proved insufficient to convict.^[4] Gilbert Chiếu and most of his companions were released in April 1909.

In 1917, Gilbert Chiếu was arrested again by the French on suspicion of hidden supports for 1916 Cochinchina uprising, but was released later due to the lack of evidence.^[5]

Notes and References

1. Oscar Chapuis The Last Emperors of Vietnam: From Tu Duc to Bao Dai - Page 124 2000 - 185 pages "Gilbert Tran Chanh Chieu Gilbert Chieu was what the French called a "transfuge." By his French citizenship and his position as one of the first attorneys at law in Saigon he, instead of siding with Bui Quang Chieu, followed a different path."
2. Philippe M. F. Peycam The Birth of Vietnamese Political Journalism: Saigon, 1916-1930 - Page 56 2012 "During Chiêu's trial, the French discovered that he had been a central agent for an underground movement called the Association for the Modernization of Vietnam (Việt Nam Duy Tân Hội), based in Japan and led by Châu and Prince Cường Để..."
3. Tran My-Van A Vietnamese Royal Exile in Japan: Prince Cuong De, 1882-1951 - Page 264 2005
4. Pre-communist Indochina Ralph Bernard Smith, Beryl Williams - 2009 "Finally, towards the end of October, a whole series of arrests was made, including that of Tran Chanh Chieu himself, and also a ... But when it came to a trial, it was difficult for the French to convict Gilbert Chieu even on the evidence they had."
5. Web site: Trần Chánh Chiếu - a faithfulness to the country . baophapluat.vn . 7 November 2024.