 Diệm 's advertising included the parading of giant pageant @-@ style floats of Bảo Đại through the streets of Saigon , depicted with bags of money on his shoulders , a deck of cards in his hands , and with naked blonde women and bottles of cognac in his arms . This was a reference to the head of state 's reputation for opulence , gambling and womanising . In particular , the blonde hair referred to Bảo Đại 's purported penchant for European mistresses with whom he liaised on the French Riviera . Bảo Đại 's dummy was accompanied by that of a Frenchman putting gold into his pockets , thereby questioning his nationalist credentials . Posters and effigies associating Bảo Đại with a pig 's head were disseminated , while a prominent newspaper composed and encouraged the people to sing insulting songs about Bảo Đại . 
