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
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) | |
| Residence | Independence Palace, Saigon |
| Appointer | Direct election |
| Precursor | Chief of the State of Vietnam |
| Formation | 26 October 1955 |
| First holder | Ngô Đình Diệm |
| Final holder | Dương Văn Minh |
| Abolished | 30 April 1975 |
| Succession | Chairman 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 | 24 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 (1911–1995) |
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 | |
| Status | Abolished |
| Residence | Gia Long Palace (1946–55) |
| Appointer | Emperor (1949–55) President (1963–75) |
| Precursor | Prime Minister of the Empire of Vietnam |
| Formation | 1 June 1946 4 November 1963 |
| First holder | Nguyễn Văn Thinh |
| Final holder | Vũ Văn Mẫu |
| Abolished | 26 October 1955 30 April 1975 |
| Succession | Chairman 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 |
| Prime Ministers 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 | 21 January 1950 | 221 days | Independent |
| 2 | 
|
Nguyễn Phan Long (1888–1960) |
21 January 1950 | 27 April 1950 | 96 days | Constitutional Party |
| 3 | 
|
Trần Văn Hữu (1896–1984) |
6 May 1950 | 6 June 1952 | 2 years, 31 days | Independent |
| 4 | 
|
Nguyễn Văn Tâm (1893–1990) |
6 June 1952 | 17 December 1953 | 1 year, 194 days | Nationalist Party |
| 5 | 
|
Nguyễn Phúc Bửu Lộc (1914–1990) |
11 January 1954 | 16 June 1954 | 156 days | Independent |
| 6 |
|
Ngô Đình Diệm (1901–1963) |
16 June 1954 | 26 October 1955 | 1 year, 132 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 | 5 April 1975 | 5 years, 225 days | National Social Democratic Front |
| 9 | 
|
Nguyễn Bá Cẩn (1930–2009) |
5 April 1975 | 28 April 1975 | 23 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
-
Personal standard of Bảo Đại, Chief of State of the State of Vietnam (1949–1955) -
Presidential standard of the Republic of Vietnam (1955–1963) -
Presidential standard of the Republic of Vietnam (1964–1975) -
Flag of the president of the Republic of Vietnam as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces
Document seals
-
Chief of State of Vietnam (1949–1954) -
President of the Republic of Vietnam (1955–1957) -
President of the Republic of Vietnam (1955–1963) -
President of the Republic of Vietnam (1967–1975)
Podium seals
-
1967–1975 -
Seal of President Dương Văn Minh
