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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
Took office Left office Time in office
1 Bảo Đại
(1912–1997) 		13 June 1949 26 October 1955 6 years, 135 days Independent

First Republic of Vietnam (1955–1963)

President

President of South Vietnam
Seal of the President
(1963–75)
Presidential Standard
(1963-1975)
ResidenceIndependence Palace, Saigon
AppointerDirect election
PrecursorChief of the State of Vietnam
Formation26 October 1955
First holderNgô Đình Diệm
Final holderDương Văn Minh
Abolished30 April 1975
SuccessionChairman 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. Portrait 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)
30 January 1964 16 August 1964 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)
20 December 1964 12 June 1965 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

During the military junta period, heads of military held the real 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)
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 (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 Portrait 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 Portrait 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
Coat of Arms of the Republic of Vietnam
(1963–75)
Flag of the Republic of Vietnam
(1948–75)
Government of South Vietnam
StatusAbolished
ResidenceGia Long Palace (1946–55)
AppointerEmperor (1949–55)
President (1963–75)
PrecursorPrime Minister of the Empire of Vietnam
Formation1 June 1946
4 November 1963
First holderNguyễn Văn Thinh
Final holderVũ Văn Mẫu
Abolished26 October 1955
30 April 1975
SuccessionChairman of the Provisional Revolutionary Government
No. Portrait Name
(Born-Died) 		Term of office Party
Took office Left office Time in office
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) 		29 November 1946 29 September 1947 304 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) 		12 January 1954 16 June 1954 155 days Independent
6 Ngô Đình Diệm
(1901–1963) 		19 June 1954 26 October 1955 1 year, 129 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
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) 		1 November 1967 18 May 1968 199 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 Vietnam Workers and Farmers Party
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

Document seals

Podium seals

See also

External links

Heads of state of Vietnam since 1945
Prime ministers of Vietnam since 1945
Leaders of Southeast Asian countries
Categories