The country's long struggle for autonomy against French colonialism would soon erupt into Vietnamese triumph only to have the U.S. begin its controversial military involvement.
While the French still ruled Vietnam, Do agitated and organized student protests for freedom, and printed and distributed clandestine communications in support of the liberation movement.
Eventually, he began to write, edit, publish and organize public rallies around-the-clock of students and the community-at-large.
At the same time, he diversified his activism to include lobbying and petitioning for more student aid and scholarships, and improved educational resources.
The scope of his influence and the impact caused by his relentless advocacy resulted in the government's attempt to remove him from school and to arrest him.
Lining the streets of Saigon all the way to the door of the courthouse were family, friends, neighbors and strangers who had turned out en masse to support him.
When he entered the courtroom, the judge announced that, due to the popular support of the people, the case would be dismissed.
Loan supported her husband in his writings and the increasingly visible role he began to play in the fight against communism.
Their support network extended beyond writers and included professionals, Vietnamese and non-Vietnamese, of all backgrounds united in the cause for a free and autonomous Vietnam.
Four days before the Fall of Saigon, the friend offered Do commercial airline tickets he had purchased for Do and his family.
After a brief stop in Guam, the Do family arrived at Camp Pendleton, the Marine Corps base outside of San Diego, California.
Because he spoke fluent English, American military and civilian authorities who were involved in the Vietnamese resettlement endeavor began to turn to Do for guidance.
Over the years, under Do's leadership, Nguoi Viet grew into one of the most prestigious ethnic publications in history, having earned its founder and its immigrant community worldwide recognition.
The newspaper has 50 full-time employees and more than a dozen stringers and correspondents worldwide, based in areas with large Vietnamese enclaves.
In the beginning, Do sought to inform and educate his fellow refugees about the American way of life while providing accurate, timely and in-depth news about the Vietnamese homeland under communist rule.
Among many honors, in 1999, Do received the Sky Dunlap Lifetime Achievement Award from the Orange County Press Club.
Do has also been recognized with an Ethics in Business Award from the Chamber of Commerce in the city of Westminster, home to Little Saigon.
In 2006, the $25,000 Yen Do Vietnam Fellowship was established at the University of Southern California to fund research and publication of original immigrant stories written by students following an internship at Do's paper.
On August 17, 2006, Do died in Orange County, California, due to complications from diabetes and kidney failure.
More than 3,000 people attended his viewing and funeral services held over four days, with President George W. Bush and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger sending published condolences.
In 2008, the world's only museum of news, the Newseum located in Washington, DC, dedicated a permanent exhibit to Do and his lifelong work.