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Ngô Đình Cẩn (1911–1964) was a younger brother, confidant and subordinate of South Vietnam's first president Ngô Đình Diệm and his government. He was put in charge of the Central Highlands of South Vietnam by his brother, stretching from Phan Thiet in what is now Binh Thuan province in the south to the border at the 17th parallel, acting as the pro consul of the region, and his base of operations was in the former imperial capital of Huế, South Vietnam.^[1]

Regarded a the least educated of his family,^[2] Can had never travelled outside Vietnam and was the only one to have not received a Europena education.^[3] Can held no formal position in the government but was regarded, in effect as the warlord of Central Vietnam, with historians describing him as having almost untrammeled power, and describing his rule as "feudal". He ran his own personal army and secret police, which fought the Vietcong, as well as crushing and imprisoning other dissidents. He was regarded as the most oppressive of the Ngo brothers in crushing dissent, using torture and re-education camps. He accumulated great wealth by corrupt practices such as graft while seeking foreign aid contracts from the United States governments of Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy respectively, requiring a fee to the National Revolutionary Movement in return for the applications being processed. He was believed to be involved in illegal smuggling of rice to North Vietnam on the black market and opium throughout Asia via Laos, as well as monopolsing the cinnamon trade.^[1][4]

His elder brother Ngô Đình Thục served as the Catholic archbishop of Huế, and unrest erupted in the summer of 1963. After Catholic flags were permitted at an anniversary celebration for Thuc's appointment, Buddhist flags were banned from being flown at Vesak on June 8, the commemoration of the birth of Gautama Buddha. Can ordered his forces to open fire on the unarmed Buddhist demonstrators, killing nine.^[5]

Can was also often at conflict with his brothers on internal matters, with another brother Ngô Đình Nhu controlling the souther part of the country. The brothers competed with each other for US contracts and rice trade, but did not territorially interfere with one another.^[6] He had also once tried to set up an office for his secret police in Saigon, by showing Diem his high list of arrests of political opponents, but insisted that he not have to report to Nhu.^[7]

A staunch supporter of his brother's policies, Can was tried and executed in a public square in Saigon by the new administration following the deposition of his brother.^[1] This came about after Ton That Dinh, a young 37 year old general who had risen quickly through the Army of the Republic of Vietnam as a protege of Can, turned on the Diem regime and helped the coup when his division was expected to remain loyal.^[8] Can had attempted to escape by catching a flight from Huế to the US Embassy in Saigon, but was arrested at Tan Son Nhut Airport. He left his personal fortune, which had been stored in foreign banks to Catholic charities.^[9]