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1921- Diem's family and academic background

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1921- Diem's family and academic background

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Diem graduated from college and assumed a government position. He was able to swiftly rise in ranks; when he was 25, he became the province chief where he oversaw 300 villages. His career was supported by his brother's father in law, Nguyen Huu Bai, the head of the councils in Hue who was also catholic. He became the provincial governor.

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Diem helped the French crack down on Communist cells and revolts. He was rewarded by being promoted to the governor of the province of Phan Thiet.

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May 1933- Promoted to minister of the interior

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May 1933- Promoted to minister of the interior

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Emperor Bao Dai pushed for Diem to become the minister of the interior. Diem was only 32 years old. However, when the French refused to take his suggestions for reform, he resigned. The French threatened him with arrest and he was monitored.

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March 1945- Japan offered Diem premiership

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March 1945- Japan offered Diem premiership

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The Japanese took control of Vietnam and they offered Diem premiership under Bao Dai. Diem initially turned down this request but he tried to get the offer again, however, the position was already taken.

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September 1945- Ho Chi Ming becomes Vietnam's leader

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September 1945- Ho Chi Ming becomes Vietnam's leader

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Viet Minh took control and Ho Chi Minh became the leader of Vietnam. They killed Diem's brother and nephew. In February 1946, Minh wanted Diem to become the minister of interior to gain the support of the anticommunism nationalists, but Diem refused.

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November 1946- France reoccupies Vietnam

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November 1946- France reoccupies Vietnam

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French infantry and armored divisions re-occupied Vietnam. This initiated the Franco-Viet Minh War and diverted Ho Chi Minh's attention from Diem.

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1946- Diem joins the Vietnam National Alliance

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1946- Diem joins the Vietnam National Alliance

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Diem joined the conservative Catholic politician Nguyen Ton Ho to found a political party, called the Vietnam National Alliance. They had a goal for an independent Vietnam that had good relationships with France, but this was unsuccessful. Bao Dai agreed to a proposal that gave France control over Vietnam's finances, military forces, and foreign policy.

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In 1950, US intervention was seen as necessary- a force that was anti communist and anti colonialism. Diem gave an interview in Mid January of 1951 and claims that Ho and Mao's goal was to spread communism to surrounding countries, so the US was thus justified to intervene.

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Viet Minh dominated 2/3 of Vietnam and the French was starting to lose even though France had superior weapons. US saw it as an opportunity to assume the role of France and needed to quickly find an anticommunist Vietnamese leader to oppose the Viet Minh. America supported Diem, especially since he was Catholic. They did not believe he would support communism and was less foreign to them.

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The fall of Dien Bien Phu meant the end of French control. Bao Dai chose Diem as the premier who was given full powers over government, military, and economy. America now has influence in Vietnam.

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July 20, 1954- Truce signed during Geneva Convention

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July 20, 1954- Truce signed during Geneva Convention

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Truce was signed between representatives of France and the Viet Minh during the Geneva Convention. A demarcation line along the 17th parallel divided Vietnam into 2. There were plans for elections in both North and South Vietnam. The Viet Minh was given the South and wanted elections in 6 months instead of two years, but was rejected.

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Vietnam was forced to have a "draw" with France after China and USSR threatened to stop sending supplies. South Vietnam was in disarray after 8 years of war; issues with communications, travel, uncultivated land, and weak law enforcement.

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August 1954- Influx of refugees moving to the South

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August 1954- Influx of refugees moving to the South

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The South initially expected 10,000 refugees from the North, but more than 200,000 arrived. This influx caused a shortage of resources. Many Catholics moved South in search of freedom.

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1954- Diem tries to earn support of Catholics

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1954- Diem tries to earn support of Catholics

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Diem is trying hard to get more Vietnamese people to migrate to the South so that he gets more support during election. He partners up with the US and uses psychological methods, such as spreading rumors in the South. Diem targeted the Catholic population and passed around news that the Communists were not going to give them religious freedom and that Christ has moved South.

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Diem staged an election to determine whether he or Bao Dai should rule. He used intimidation, prohibited campaigning for the emperor, and added more votes for himself. Diem won and five months later passed a constitution that he wrote, which would give him power to fire any officer/official as he pleases, declare states of emergencies when he wants, control people's movement and their speech.

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1950s-1956- Nepotism within Diem's government

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1950s-1956- Nepotism within Diem's government

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Diem's family members were assigned significant political roles. He also had a brother that had great religious influence. Diem's brother Ngo Dinh Nhu became the political counselor and previously founded the Revolutionary Workers Party that controlled every facet of the administration of South Vietnam. They captured traitors and use violence to ensure people remained loyal.

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Landownership has been an issue in Vietnam. The tenants needed to give the landlord 50 to 70 percent of their crop in rent, so this meant that they struggled to make a living and were constantly in debt. In addition, ownership of land was only given to a small group of the population, so many had no choice but to rent.

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January 1955- Commercial Import Program 

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January 1955- Commercial Import Program 

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America provides assistance to South Vietnam through the Commercial Import Program (CIP). The CIP successfully allowed the US to put large sums of money in South Vietnam and they avoided the runaway inflation. However, it did not bring much economic growth because most of the money went to fund the military or were taken by corrupt government officials. The lower class in the countryside did not receive any benefits.

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In 1956, the Communists in North Vietnam dealt with the issue by eliminating landlords(force labor camps or execution) and redistributed the property to the landless. In January 1955, Diem asserted that landlords can only collect at most 25% of the farmer's crop. His land reforms did not please the tenants nor the landlords. The tenant farmers didn't pay any rent before his new policies and the land owners felt that the 25% was too low. They were also not effective in redistributing land to the landless.

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January 1956- Anti Communist Denunciation Campaign

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January 1956- Anti Communist Denunciation Campaign

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Diem started an Anti Communist Denunciation Campaign that was effective in reducing the number of Viet Minh. However, they used harsh tactics that created more enemies as the peasants that previously supported him began to shift loyalty.

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1956- Diem refuses to hold election and force Chinese to file Vietnamese citizenship

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1956- Diem refuses to hold election and force Chinese to file Vietnamese citizenship

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Diem refused to hold the 1956 all Vietnam elections scheduled at the Geneva convention in 1954 because he believed it meant that he accepted the legitimacy of the Geneva Accords and Ho Chi Minh's regime. He also forced Chinese residents to file for Vietnamese citizenship or be forced to stop their business. Even though many became citizens, they did not become loyal to the government.

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May 1963- Buddhists protest against Diem's policies

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May 1963- Buddhists protest against Diem's policies

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The head of the Buddhist hierarchy in Vietnam, Thich Tinh Khiet called for a two day fast to protest Diem's policies and demanded government comply with their five demands. However, it became violent.

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June 11 1963- Buddhist monk sets himself on fire

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June 11 1963- Buddhist monk sets himself on fire

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A Buddhist monk, Thich Quang Duc, set himself in flames as a way to bring publicity and placed Diem's regime in a negative light. US decided that they no longer supported Diem.

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On September 2, Kennedy expressed to dissent ARVN generals that the US would support a coup against Diem during his television interview with Walter Cronkite. On November 2, Diem and his brother, Nhu, were assassinated. The rebels overpowered the loyalists and saw a change in government.