Ngo Dinh Diem’s Regime
America became entangled supporting South Vietnam’s problematic leader. Diem, a Catholic ruling a primarily Buddhist country, faced mounting opposition from his own people. He imprisoned political enemies and favored family members for important positions. The Kennedy administration tacitly approved the 1963 coup that ended in Diem’s assassination. His death created a leadership vacuum in South Vietnam. The parade of military governments that followed proved even less stable. Each change in leadership pulled America deeper into managing South Vietnamese politics.
