Leaders of the Vietnam War
Since the Vietnam War lasted for about 21 years, there were many leaders that governed each side of the war. Dwight Eisenhower served two terms from 1953 to 1961. Next, John F. Kennedy served from 1961-1963, but was assassinated before he could finish his four year term. Lyndon Johnson served from 1963 to 1969. Richard Nixon served from 1969 to 1974, and Gerald Ford served from 1974 to 1977. There were many leaders of the communist forces, coming from China, Russia, and lots of other countries. These are the political leaders for North Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh was the prime minister from 1946 to 1955 and he was president from 1945 until he died in 1969. Le Duan was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and later became the leader of North Vietnam and the unified Vietnam from 1969 to his death in 1986. Ton Duc Thang was the second and last president of North Vietnam and the first president of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Pham Van Dong was the Prime Minister of North Vietnam from 1955 to 1976. Le Duc Tho was one of North Vietnam’s politicians that negotiated the Paris Peace Accords. Truong Chinh was ranked in the top 3 of the Vietnamese Politburo from 1941 to 1986 and both preceded and succeeded Le Duan as General Secretary. The politicians of South Vietnam also mattered in this war. Ngo Dinh Diem was the president of South Vietnam from 1955 until his assassination in 1963. Ngo Dinh Nhu was Diem’s younger brother, and he was known as the architect of the Ngo family’s rule. Duong Van Minh led the South Vietnamese army under President Diem, and briefly was the leader of South Vietnam from 1963 to 1975. He was also the last president. Nguyen Thanh was a general that was in power from 1964 to 1965. Nguyen Van Thieu was the president of South Vietnam 1967 to 1975. Nguyen Cao Ky was the prime minister of South Vietnam from 1965 to 1967 and vice president from 1967 to 1971. Tran Van Huong was the second to last president of South Vietnam before they surrendered in 1975.