List of leaders of South Vietnam facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

"President of the Republic of Vietnam" redirects here. For the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, see President of Vietnam.

Office of the President of the Republic of Vietnam in Independence Palace, Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon)

This is a list of leaders of South Vietnam, since the establishment of the Autonomous Republic of Cochinchina in 1946, and the division of Vietnam in 1954 until the fall of the Republic of Vietnam in 1975, and the reunification of Vietnam in 1976.

Legends

Colour key (for political parties)
Cochinchinese Democratic Party Military (VNA / RVNMF) Independent Constitutional Party Vietnamese Nationalist Party Nationalist Party Cần Lao Party National Social Democratic Front Democratic Party Forces for National Reconciliation National Liberation Front (Việt Cộng)

Heads of state

State of Vietnam (1949–1955)

Under the State of Vietnam, the position of head of state is known as Chief of the State of Vietnam and was held by Bảo Đại.

No.	Portrait	Name (Born-Died)	Term of office			Party
No.	Portrait	Name (Born-Died)	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Party
1		Bảo Đại (1912–1997)	13 June 1949	26 October 1955	6 years, 135 days	Independent

First Republic of Vietnam (1955–1963)

President

Quick facts for kids President of South Vietnam
Presidential Standard (1963-1975)
Seal of the President (1963–75)
Residence	Independence Palace, Saigon
Appointer	Direct election
Precursor	Chief of the State of Vietnam
Formation	26 October 1955
First holder	Ngô Đình Diệm
Final holder	Dương Văn Minh
Abolished	30 April 1975
Succession	Chairman of the Consultative Council of the Provisional Revolutionary Government

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office		Time in office	Affiliation
1		Ngô Đình Diệm (1901–1963)	26 October 1955	2 November 1963 (assassinated)	8 years, 7 days	Personalist Labor Revolutionary Party

Vice president

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office		Time in office	Affiliation
1		Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ (1908–1976)	18 December 1956	2 November 1963	6 years, 319 days	Independent

Military junta (1963–1967)

Heads of state

During the military junta period, the heads of state of South Vietnam did not always hold real power, the heads of military were de facto leaders of the nation. Sometimes the heads of state and heads of military were held by the same person, for example: Duong Van Minh from 2 November 1963 to 30 January 1964 or Nguyen Khanh from 16 August 1964 to 27 August 1964.

No.	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office		Affiliation	Title
1	Dương Văn Minh (1916–2001)	2 November 1963	30 January 1964	Military	Chief of State and Chairman of Military Revolutionary Council (until 30 January 1964)
1	Dương Văn Minh (1916–2001)	30 January 1964	16 August 1964	Military	Chief of State
2	Nguyễn Khánh (1927–2013)	16 August 1964	27 August 1964	Military	Chief of State and Chairman of Military Revolutionary Council
*	Provisional Leadership Committee (Minh, Khánh and Khiêm)	27 August 1964	8 September 1964	Military	Provisional Leadership Committee
1	Dương Văn Minh (1916–2001)	8 September 1964	26 October 1964	Military	Chief of State and Chairman of Provisional Leadership Committee
3	Phan Khắc Sửu (1893–1970)	26 October 1964	20 December 1964	Independent	Chief of State and Chairman of High National Council (until 20 December 1964)
3	Phan Khắc Sửu (1893–1970)	20 December 1964	12 June 1965	Independent	Chief of State
4	Nguyễn Văn Thiệu (1923–2001)	19 June 1965	31 October 1967	Military	Chief of State and Chairman of National Leadership Committee

Heads of military

Under the military junta, heads of military held de facto power in governing the nation. Sometimes head of state and head of military were held by the same person.

Name	Military organization	Term	Military title	Head of state at that time
Duong Van Minh	Revolutionary Military Council	2 November 1963 – 30 January 1964	Chairman of the Revolutionary Military Council	himself
Nguyen Khanh	Revolutionary Military Council	30 January 1964 – 27 August 1964	Chairman of the Revolutionary Military Council	Duong Van Minh (30 January 1964 – 16 August 1964)
Nguyen Khanh	Revolutionary Military Council	30 January 1964 – 27 August 1964	Chairman of the Revolutionary Military Council	himself (16 August 1964 – 27 August 1964)
Duong Van Minh Nguyen Khanh Tran Thien Khiem	Provisional Leadership Committee (collective leadership)	27 August 1964 – 24 October 1964	Provisional Leadership Committee	itself (27 August 1964 – 8 September 1964)
Duong Van Minh Nguyen Khanh Tran Thien Khiem	Provisional Leadership Committee (collective leadership)	27 August 1964 – 24 October 1964	Provisional Leadership Committee	Duong Van Minh (8/9/1964 – 24 October 1964)
Short period of civilian government of the Chief of State Phan Khac Suu (24 October 1964 – 20 December 1964)
Nguyen Khanh	Military Council	18 December 1964 – 25 February 1965	Chairman of the Military Council	Phan Khac Suu
Nguyễn Văn Thiệu	Military Council	25 February 1965 – 14 June 1965	Chairman of the Military Council	Phan Khac Suu
Nguyễn Văn Thiệu	National Leadership Committee	14 June 1965 – 21 October 1967	Chairman of the National Leadership Committee	himself

Second Republic of Vietnam (1967–1975)

Presidents

Number	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office		Time in office	Affiliation
2	Nguyễn Văn Thiệu (1923–2001)	31 October 1967	21 April 1975	7 years, 172 days	National Social Democratic Front
3	Trần Văn Hương (1902–1982)	21 April 1975	28 April 1975	7 days	National Social Democratic Front
4	Dương Văn Minh (1916–2001)	28 April 1975	30 April 1975	2 days	Military

Vice presidents

Number	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office		Time in office	Affiliation
2	Nguyễn Cao Kỳ (1930–2011)	31 October 1967	29 October 1971	3 years, 363 days	National Social Democratic Front
3	Trần Văn Hương (1902–1982)	31 October 1971	21 April 1975	3 years, 172 days	National Social Democratic Front
4	Nguyễn Văn Huyền (1913–1995)	28 April 1975	30 April 1975	2 days	Independent

Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam (1969–1976)

Chairman of the Consultative Council

Number	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office		Time in office	Affiliation
1		Nguyễn Hữu Thọ (1910–1996)	8 June 1969	2 July 1976	7 years, 24 days	National Liberation Front

Heads of government

Prime Minister of South Vietnam
Flag of the Republic of Vietnam (1948–75)
Coat of Arms of the Republic of Vietnam (1963–75)
Government of South Vietnam
Residence	Gia Long Palace (1946–55)
Appointer	Emperor (1949–55) President (1963–75)
Precursor	Prime Minister of the Empire of Vietnam
Formation	1 June 1946 4 November 1963
First holder	Nguyễn Văn Thinh
Final holder	Vũ Văn Mẫu
Abolished	26 October 1955 30 April 1975
Succession	Chairman of the Provisional Revolutionary Government

No.	Portrait	Name (Born-Died)	Term of office			Party
No.	Portrait	Name (Born-Died)	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Party
Prime Ministers of the Autonomous Republic of Cochinchina (1946–1948)
1		Nguyễn Văn Thinh (1888–1946)	1 June 1946	10 November 1946	162 days	Cochinchinese Democratic Party
2		Lê Văn Hoạch (1896–1978)	7 December 1946	8 October 1947	305 days	Independent
3		Nguyễn Văn Xuân (1892–1989)	8 October 1947	27 May 1948	232 days	Military
Chief of the government of the Provisional Central Government (1948–1949)
3		Nguyễn Văn Xuân (1892–1989)	27 May 1948	14 June 1949	1 year, 18 days	Military
Prime Ministers of the State of Vietnam (1949–1955)
1		Bảo Đại (1912–1997)	14 June 1949	20 January 1950	220 days	Independent
2		Nguyễn Phan Long (1888–1960)	20 January 1950	7 May 1950	107 days	Constitutional Party
3		Trần Văn Hữu (1896–1984)	7 May 1950	3 June 1952	2 years, 27 days	Independent
4		Nguyễn Văn Tâm (1893–1990)	25 June 1952	17 December 1953	1 year, 175 days	Nationalist Party
5		Nguyễn Phúc Bửu Lộc (1914–1990)	17 December 1953	16 June 1954	181 days	Independent
6		Ngô Đình Diệm (1901–1963)	16 June 1954	26 October 1955	1 year, 132 days	Personalist Labor Revolutionary Party
Prime Ministers of the Republic of Vietnam (1955–1975)
Abolished (26 October 1955 – 4 November 1963)
1		Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ (1908–1976)	4 November 1963	30 January 1964	87 days	Independent
2		Nguyễn Khánh (1927–2013)	8 February 1964	29 August 1964	203 days	Military
—		Nguyễn Xuân Oánh (1921–2003) (Acting)	29 August 1964	3 September 1964	5 days	Independent
(2)		Nguyễn Khánh (1927–2013)	3 September 1964	26 October 1964	62 days	Military
—		Phan Khắc Sửu (1893–1970) (Acting)	26 October 1964	3 November 1964	8 days	Independent
3		Trần Văn Hương (1902–1982)	4 November 1964	27 January 1965	84 days	Independent
—		Nguyễn Xuân Oánh (1921–2003) (Acting)	28 January 1965	15 February 1965	18 days	Independent
4		Phan Huy Quát (1908–1979)	16 February 1965	12 June 1965	116 days	Nationalist Party
5		Nguyễn Cao Kỳ (1930–2011)	19 June 1965	28 October 1967	2 years, 131 days	Military
6		Nguyễn Văn Lộc (1922–1992)	31 October 1967	18 May 1968	200 days	Independent
7		Trần Văn Hương (1902–1982)	25 May 1968	22 August 1969	1 year, 89 days	Independent
8		Trần Thiện Khiêm (1925–2021)	23 August 1969	4 April 1975	5 years, 224 days	National Social Democratic Front
9		Nguyễn Bá Cẩn (1930–2009)	4 April 1975	28 April 1975	24 days	National Social Democratic Front
10		Vũ Văn Mẫu (1914–1998)	28 April 1975	30 April 1975	2 days	Forces for National Reconciliation
Chairman of government Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam (1969–1976)
1		Huỳnh Tấn Phát (1913–1989)	6 June 1969	2 July 1976	7 years, 26 days	National Liberation Front

Symbols

Standards

Personal standard of Bảo Đại, Chief of State of the State of Vietnam (1949–1955)
Presidential standard of the Republic of Vietnam (1955–1963)
Presidential standard of the Republic of Vietnam (1964–1975)
Flag of the president of the Republic of Vietnam as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces