1955–1956Reputable sourceWell documented
Diem and the Two Vietnams
On the timeline · around 1955–1956 ·
What happened
In the South, the staunchly anti-communist Ngo Dinh Diem declared the Republic of Vietnam in 1955 and, with U.S. support, refused to hold the 1956 reunification elections he expected to lose. His narrow, often repressive Catholic rule alienated the Buddhist majority.
Why it matters
Diem's refusal to reunify — and his growing unpopularity — helped ignite the southern insurgency that became the Vietnam War.
Sources
- Encyclopaedia Britannica. Ngo Dinh Diem · Reputable source