President ngo dinh diem biography

President of South Vietnam, 1955–1963

In this Vietnamese name, the surname is Ngô, but is often simplified to Ngo in English-language text.

President ngo dinh diem biography

In accordance with Vietnamese custom, this person should be referred to by the given name, Diệm.

Ngô Đình Diệm (dyem,^[2]YEE-əm or zeem; Vietnamese:[ŋōɗìnjîəmˀ]^ⓘ; 3 January 1901 – 2 November 1963) was a South Vietnamese politician who was the final prime minister of the State of Vietnam (1954–1955) and later the first president of South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) from 1955 until his capture and assassination during the CIA-backed 1963 coup d'état.

Diệm was born into a prominent Catholic family with his father, Ngô Đình Khả, being a high-ranking mandarin for Emperor Thành Thái during the French colonial era. Diệm was educated at French-speaking schools and considered following his brother Ngô Đình Thục into the priesthood, but eventually chose to pursue a career in the civil service.