Hoàng Thọ

Relying on his martial prowess for money, Thọ quickly became a dominant gangster at the [[Haiphong|Hải Phòng]] Port area due to his excessive brutality. Faced with the overwhelming military might from [[Imperial Japanese Army|Imperial Japanese]] troops, Thọ lost his domain. With his followers scattered in all directions, he immediately enlisted in the [[Imperial Japanese Navy|Japanese Navy]], where he was trained as an electrician. When Japan surrendered to the [[Allies of World War II|Allies]] and withdrew from Hải Phòng, he did not follow them. Thọ gathered his scattered followers and continued to live by his violent ways. During this period, he was nicknamed Thọ "Mạch Lô",English: Thọ the Sailor. "Mạch Lô" is an outdated transliteration of the French word "matelot". referring to his time in the Navy. When the [[Viet Minh|Việt Minh]] rose up to seize government seats, he joined their National Salvation Force. From there, Hoàng Thọ drifted [[French Cochinchina|South]] and became a henchman of Lieutenant General [[Nguyễn Bình]] with the task of eliminating [[Caodaism|Caodaists]] and French collaborators from his new domain at Lower [[Gò Dầu district|Gò Dầu]] and [[Trảng Bàng]]. His name terrified the province of [[Tây Ninh province|Tây Ninh]].{{cite web|url=https://www.luanhoan.net/GioiThieuTacGia/html/bm%2006-7-10.htm|title= Hoàng Thọ|newspaper=luanhoan.net|date=July 10, 2006|access-date= April 22, 2026}}

Relying on his martial prowess for money, Thọ quickly became a dominant gangster at the [[Haiphong|Hải Phòng]] Port area due to his excessive brutality. Faced with the overwhelming military might from [[Imperial Japanese Army|Imperial Japanese]] troops, Thọ lost his domain. With his followers scattered in all directions, he immediately enlisted in the [[Imperial Japanese Navy|Japanese Navy]], where he was trained as an electrician. When Japan surrendered to the [[Allies of World War II|Allies]] and withdrew from Hải Phòng, he did not follow them. Thọ gathered his scattered followers and continued to live by his violent ways. During this period, he was nicknamed Thọ "Mạch Lô",English: Thọ the Sailor. "Mạch Lô" is an outdated transliteration of the French word "matelot". referring to his time in the Navy. When the [[Viet Minh|Việt Minh]] rose up to seize government seats, he joined their National Salvation Force. From there, Hoàng Thọ drifted [[French Cochinchina|South]] and became a henchman of Lieutenant General [[Nguyễn Bình]] with the task of eliminating [[Caodaism|Caodaists]] and French collaborators from his new domain at Lower [[Gò Dầu district|Gò Dầu]] and [[Trảng Bàng]]. His name terrified the province of [[Tây Ninh province|Tây Ninh]].{{cite web|url=https://www.luanhoan.net/GioiThieuTacGia/html/bm%2006-7-10.htm|title= Hoàng Thọ|newspaper=luanhoan.net|date=July 10, 2006|access-date= April 22, 2026}}

General Raymond Boisseau proposed a different account of his early life. Per the general, Thọ was a "former [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] scout leader from [[Ho Chi Minh City|Sài Gòn]]. A strong, dynamic, authoritarian personality, faithful to his ideal, a staunch nationalist, and of uncompromising character."{{cite web|url=https://www.persee.fr/doc/rharm_0035-3299_1989_num_177_4_6836|title= Revue historique des Armées: Le bataillon 303|newspaper= Persée|date=June 1, 1989|access-date= April 22, 2026}}

==Military career==

==Military career==