List of leaders of South Vietnam explained

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.

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.

First Republic of Vietnam (1955–1963)

President

Post:President
Body:South Vietnam
Flag:Presidential Standard of South Vietnam (1963–1975).svg
Flagsize:120px
Flagcaption:Presidential Standard
(1963-1975)
Insignia:Seal of the President of the Republic of Vietnam (1963–1975) (Gold).svg
Insigniasize:120px
Insigniacaption: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:Ngô Đình Diệm
Last:Dương Văn Minh
Abolished:30 April 1975
Succession:Chairman of the Consultative Council of the Provisional Revolutionary Government

Vice president

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.

PortraitName
Term of officeAffiliationTitle
1Dương Văn Minh
2 November 196330 January 1964MilitaryChief of State and
Chairman of Military Revolutionary Council (until 30 January 1964)
30 January 196416 August 1964Chief of State
2Nguyễn Khánh
16 August 196427 August 1964MilitaryChief of State and
Chairman of Military Revolutionary Council
Provisional Leadership Committee
(Minh, Khánh and Khiêm)
27 August 19648 September 1964MilitaryProvisional Leadership Committee
1Dương Văn Minh
8 September 196426 October 1964MilitaryChief of State and
Chairman of Provisional Leadership Committee
3Phan Khắc Sửu
26 October 196420 December 1964IndependentChief of State and
Chairman of High National Council (until 20 December 1964)
20 December 196412 June 1965Chief of State
4Nguyễn Văn Thiệu
19 June 196531 October 1967MilitaryChief 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.

NameMilitary organizationTermMilitary titleHead of state at that time
Duong Van MinhRevolutionary Military Council2 November 1963 – 30 January 1964Chairman of the Revolutionary Military Councilhimself
Nguyen KhanhRevolutionary Military Council30 January 1964 – 27 August 1964Chairman of the Revolutionary Military CouncilDuong Van Minh (30 January 1964 – 16 August 1964)
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 1964Provisional Leadership Committeeitself (27 August 1964 – 8 September 1964)
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 KhanhMilitary Council18 December 1964 – 25 February 1965Chairman of the Military CouncilPhan Khac Suu
Nguyễn Văn ThiệuMilitary Council25 February 1965 – 14 June 1965Chairman of the Military CouncilPhan Khac Suu
Nguyễn Văn ThiệuNational Leadership Committee14 June 1965 – 21 October 1967Chairman of the National Leadership Committeehimself

Second Republic of Vietnam (1967–1975)

Presidents

NumberPortraitName
Term of officeTime in officeAffiliation
2Nguyễn Văn Thiệu
31 October 196721 April 1975National Social Democratic Front
3Trần Văn Hương
21 April 197528 April 1975National Social Democratic Front
4Dương Văn Minh
28 April 197530 April 1975Military

Vice presidents

NumberPortraitName
Term of officeTime in officeAffiliation
2Nguyễn Cao Kỳ
31 October 196729 October 1971National Social Democratic Front
3Trần Văn Hương
31 October 197121 April 1975National Social Democratic Front
4Nguyễn Văn Huyền
28 April 197530 April 1975Independent

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

Chairman of the Consultative Council

Heads of government

Post:Prime Minister
Body:South Vietnam
Flag:Flag of South Vietnam.svg
Flagsize:120px
Flagcaption:Flag of the Republic of Vietnam
(1948–75)
Insignia:Coat of arms of the Republic of Vietnam (1963–1975).svg
Insigniasize:120px
Insigniacaption:Coat of Arms of the Republic of Vietnam
(1963–75)
Imagecaption:Longest serving
Trần Thiện Khiêm

(22 August 1969 – 5 April 1975)
Department:Government of South Vietnam
Status:Abolished
Appointer:Emperor
President
Precursor:Prime Minister of the Empire of Vietnam
Formation:1 June 1946
4 November 1963
First:Nguyễn Văn Thinh
Last:Vũ Văn Mẫu
Abolished:26 October 1955
30 April 1975
Succession:Chairman of the Provisional Revolutionary Government
PortraitName
(Born-Died)
Term of officeParty
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
Prime Ministers of the Autonomous Republic of Cochinchina
(1946–1948)
1Nguyễn Văn Thinh
1 June 194610 November 1946Cochinchinese Democratic Party
2Lê Văn Hoạch
7 December 19468 October 1947Independent
3Nguyễn Văn Xuân
8 October 194727 May 1948Military
Chief of the government of the Provisional Central Government
(1948–1949)
3Nguyễn Văn Xuân
27 May 194814 June 1949Military
Prime Ministers of the State of Vietnam
(1949–1955)
1Bảo Đại
14 June 194920 January 1950Independent
2Nguyễn Phan Long
20 January 19507 May 1950Constitutional Party
3Trần Văn Hữu
7 May 19503 June 1952Independent
4Nguyễn Văn Tâm
25 June 195217 December 1953Nationalist Party
5Nguyễn Phúc Bửu Lộc
17 December 195316 June 1954Independent
6Ngô Đình Diệm
16 June 195426 October 1955Personalist Labor Revolutionary Party
Prime Ministers of the Republic of Vietnam
(1955–1975)
Abolished
1Nguyễn Ngọc Thơ
4 November 196330 January 1964Independent
2Nguyễn Khánh
8 February 196429 August 1964Military
Nguyễn Xuân Oánh

29 August 19643 September 1964Independent
(2)Nguyễn Khánh
3 September 196426 October 1964Military
Phan Khắc Sửu

26 October 19643 November 1964Independent
3Trần Văn Hương
4 November 196427 January 1965Independent
Nguyễn Xuân Oánh

28 January 196515 February 1965Independent
4Phan Huy Quát
16 February 196512 June 1965Nationalist Party
5Nguyễn Cao Kỳ
19 June 1965 28 October 1967Military
6Nguyễn Văn Lộc
31 October 1967 18 May 1968Independent
7Trần Văn Hương
25 May 196822 August 1969Independent
8Trần Thiện Khiêm
23 August 19694 April 1975National Social Democratic Front
9Nguyễn Bá Cẩn
4 April 197528 April 1975National Social Democratic Front
10Vũ Văn Mẫu
28 April 197530 April 1975Forces for National Reconciliation
Chairman of government Provisional Revolutionary Government
of the Republic of South Vietnam
(1969–1976)
1Huỳnh Tấn Phát
6 June 19692 July 1976National Liberation Front

Symbols

Podium seals

See also

External links