Leaders of South Vietnam


This is a list of leaders of South Vietnam, since the establishment of the Autonomous Republic of Cochinchina in 1946 until the fall of the Republic of Vietnam in 1975, and the reunification of Vietnam in 1976.

Color keys

Heads of state

Chiefs of the State of Vietnam (1949–1955)

Presidents of the First Republic of Vietnam (1955–1963)

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.

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.

Presidents of the Second Republic of Vietnam (1967–1975)

Heads of government

Standards