ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Leaders of South Vietnam

Okay kiddo, let’s talk about leaders of South Vietnam. South Vietnam was a country in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 until 1975. It had different leaders throughout its history, and each of them played a very important role in the country's development.

The first leader of South Vietnam was Ngo Dinh Diem. He became the prime minister of South Vietnam in 1954 and then later became the president. Diem was a Catholic and he helped to create policies that would promote the Catholic faith in Vietnam. However, he also faced a lot of criticism and opposition from the Buddhist community in Vietnam who felt that he was discriminating against them. Many people in South Vietnam did not like Diem's government, and there were protests against him.

In 1963, a group of South Vietnamese generals staged a coup against Diem and assassinated him. After Diem's death, there were several leaders who took over South Vietnam, but the most famous and controversial one was Nguyen Van Thieu. Thieu was a general who became the president of South Vietnam in 1967. He was known for his anti-communist policies and his leadership during the Vietnam War. However, he was also criticized for his corruption and for not allowing free elections in the country.

Thieu resigned as president of South Vietnam in 1975, just before the country fell to the North Vietnamese army. So in summary, South Vietnam had several leaders throughout its history, but two of the most important ones were Ngo Dinh Diem and Nguyen Van Thieu. Their actions and policies greatly affected the country and its people.