Nguyen Van Thieu

Nguyen Van Thieu , 1924-2001, president of the former Republic of South Vietnam (1967-75). After World War II, he joined the Viet Minh , but then left it to join what became the South Vietnamese National Army (ARVN). He rose rapidly, becoming a division commander. In 1963, he helped lead the coup overthrowing President Diem . Together with Nguyen Cao Ky , Thieu was a leading force in a succession of South Vietnamese governments from 1963 to 1967. He was elected president in 1967 and retained office in a rigged election in 1971. Thieu was reluctant to sign the Paris Agreement (1973) until promised U.S. military aid. When North Vietnam launched an offensive in 1975 (see Vietnam War ), no aid was forthcoming, and Thieu abandoned the northern half of the country, leading to a rout. He went into exile a few days before the Communist victory.

Nguyen Van Thieu (1923–2001) South Vietnamese statesman, President (1967–75). He participated in the post-war struggle against the French but left the VIETMINH because of its communist policies and thereafter became a general in the army of South Vietnam. He participated in the overthrow of NGO DINH DIEM's government in 1963 and together with another military strongman, Nguyen Cao Ky, dominated the politics of his country. Elected President in 1967, and re-elected in 1971, he continued to press hard in the war against the VIETCONG and their North Vietnamese allies despite growing opposition to his dictatorial methods. In the early 1970s the war began to run against him and his US allies drastically reduced their support. In April 1975, with his army in ruins and enemy forces closing on Saigon, he finally resigned his office. He went to live in Taiwan, and later moved to Britain.

Nguyen Van Thieu (b. 5 Apr. 1923; d. 29 Sept. 2001). President of South Vietnam 1967–75 Born in the Ninh Thuan province, of modest family origin, he joined the Vietminh in 1945, but left after the return of the French to Indochina in 1946. He enlisted in the military academy in Saigon and then served in the French colonial army 1949–54. From 1954 he was commander of the Vietnam National Military Academy in Saigon. He reluctantly took part in the military coup which overthrew President Ngo Dinh Diem in 1963. He became head of state of the military government in 1965, and then President of South Vietnam from 1967 onwards. Despite massive US military and economic aid, his corrupt administration failed to win the fight against the Vietcong and North Vietnamese forces. He struggled to continue the war after the Paris Peace Accords of 1973 and was highly critical of the USA for what he considered desertion. As Saigon fell in April 1975 he fled to Taiwan and then to Britain.