Declining the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize, Lê Đức Thọ remains the only person to reject the honor. Born in 1911 in Hà Nam, he served as a central figure in Vietnamese politics and diplomacy, navigating decades of colonial imprisonment and international conflict to shape the trajectory of his nation through the Paris Peace Accords.
Early Activism and Imprisonment
Active in nationalist circles by his teenage years, Thọ helped found the Indochinese Communist Party in 1930. French colonial authorities detained him twice, first from 1930 to 1936 and again between 1939 and 1944. During his second term of incarceration, he was held at the Poulo Condore prison, where he endured extreme heat and deprivation. Despite his conditions, he participated in a community of prisoners that studied science, languages, and literature.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Rise in the Communist Party
After regaining his freedom in 1945, Thọ became a significant leader in the Viet Minh independence movement. By 1955, he secured a seat on the Politburo of the Lao Dong Party. He subsequently directed the Communist insurgency that emerged in 1956 against the government in South Vietnam and later provided political support for party purges in 1963 following Resolution 9.
Negotiations in Paris
Thọ arrived in Paris in June 1968 to assume control over North Vietnamese diplomatic efforts. While Xuân Thuỷ remained the official head of the delegation, Thọ orchestrated secret discussions with U.S. National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger starting in February 1970. These protracted exchanges, which Kissinger later described as a test of wills, ultimately culminated in the cease-fire established by the Paris Peace Accords on 27 January 1973.
Fast facts
- Born: 1911, Hà Nam
- Died: 1990, Hanoi
- Military Rank: General
- Awards: Nobel Peace Prize (1973), Order of the October Revolution (1986), Gold Star Order
- Nationality: Vietnamese
Questions readers ask
Why did Lê Đức Thọ refuse the Nobel Peace Prize?
He declined the 1973 award, citing the lack of lasting peace in Vietnam at the time.
What was his role in the Paris Peace Accords?
He led secret negotiations with Henry Kissinger from 1970 to 1973 to facilitate a U.S. military withdrawal and a cease-fire.
Achievements
- Nobel Peace Prize — 1973
- Worked as politician, diplomat and military personnel
