Ngo Dinh Diem's Government in South Vietnam

What was Diem's government?

In 1954 Ngo Dinh Diem became Prime Minister of a US-backed government in the Republic of Vietnam, or South Vietnam. Many reports show Diem's government used violence and nepotism to rule the country.

Why was Diem's government chosen by the USA to govern South Vietnam?

Diem was chosen by the USA because he was anti-communist. He had studied in America and the US authorities thought they could control him. America believed he was the best chance of containing communism in North Vietnam and stopping its spread throughout south east Asia.

What problems were there with Diem's government?

There were 4 key problems with Diem's government that led to significant opposition:

• ❖ Diem did not follow the advice given by America, and many of his decisions upset the USA.
• ❖ He gave peasants' land to powerful families and important jobs to his friends and family.
• ❖ He implemented unfair taxes.
• ❖ Those who opposed Diem's government were imprisoned and some were even murdered.

What did Diem's government do to break the Geneva agreement?

A key agreement at Geneva was the holding of an election for the whole of Vietnam by July 1956. However, Diem held his own election in South Vietnam in October 1955. Anyone who disagreed with it was arrested.

What did Diem's government do in the elections?

There were 2 candidates in the elections: Diem, and Bo Dai, the former emperor of Vietnam. With America's help, Diem used 3 main tactics to secure victory:

• ❖ Dai's name was printed on a green background on the ballot paper, while Diem's name had a red background. The colour red is associated with good luck in Vietnam.
• ❖ People who looked as if they would vote for Dai were intimidated.
• ❖ Diem inflated the percentage of those who had voted for him to 98 per cent.

Who opposed Diem's government in South Vietnam?

There were two main groups of opposition to Diem's rule in South Vietnam:

• ❖ The National Liberation Front, a political movement comprising different groups brought together by Ho Chi Minh.
• ❖ Members of the Buddhist religion.

Why did the National Liberation Front oppose Diem's government?

The National Liberation Front wanted to unite North and South Vietnam, and replace Diem's government with one that was representative of all groups in South Vietnam, not just the Catholics favoured by Diem.

How did the National Liberation Front oppose Diem's government?

The National Liberation Front used violence. It targeted members of the government and hundreds of people were murdered. Ho Chi Minh told the NLF to target the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN).

Why did Buddhists oppose Diem's government?

Buddhists opposed Diem's government for 4 main reasons:

• ❖ Diem was a Catholic and favoured Catholics in society. He often gave them important positions in government.
• ❖ The majority of Vietnamese people were Buddhists, but Diem adopted anti-Buddhist policies.
• ❖ Buddhists had to have permission from the government to worship.
• ❖ 9 Buddhists, 8 of whom were children, were killed when troops shot them for flying the official Buddhist flag during a celebration.

How did Buddhists oppose Diem's government?

Buddhists opposed Diem's government using methods such as hunger strikes, mass rallies, and gaining support from the foreign press. In one protest a monk called Thich Quang Duc burned himself alive, while monks and nuns handed out flyers that urged Diem's regime to show kindness to other religious groups.

What were the consequences of opposition to Diem's government?

Diem's corrupt and brutal regime led many of his opponents to believe a revolution was the only way to change things, and civil war broke out in South Vietnam in 1957.