English Deutsch Français Italiano Español Português 繁體中文 Bahasa Indonesia Tiếng Việt ภาษาไทย
All categories

4 answers

In a nutshell (and without copy and paste from Wikipedia), Minh was the second as well as the last president of South Vietnam. He wasn't in office long enough in either of his short terms to accomplish anything positive other than replacing President Diem and many of Diem's corrupt cabinet after Diem's assassination.

Minh will probably be remembered best for surrendering South Vietnam to the NVA on April 30Th, 1975. That in mind, his greatest accomplishment as president could be trying to organize a peaceful surrender and prevent any further bloodshed. That was a debatable accomplished.

2007-02-13 08:42:54 · answer #1 · answered by MojaveDan 6 · 0 0

Letting the North into South Vietnam.

2007-02-12 09:08:31 · answer #2 · answered by David 2 · 0 0

(I don't think this first part would be presidency)
Minh took over the government under a military junta on November 6. He was a favourite of the Americans at the time, playing tennis and sharing war stories with the U.S. Ambassador, General Maxwell Taylor, and impressing Secretary of Defence Robert S. McNamara.
Minh is said to have preferred playing mah-jongg and giving tea parties to fighting the Viet Cong or running the country. His military junta lasted only a couple of months before it was overthrown by General Nguyen Khanh on January 30, 1964. Duong Van Minh went into exile in Bangkok, Thailand.

Presidency:
Minh became President on April 28, 1975, promising to seek reconciliation with the North. He was unsuccessful in his efforts at conciliation, largely because by this point the military situation of the South Vietnamese government, such as remained of it, was entirely untenable and the North felt no compulsion to negotiate with him. Saigon fell on April 30, 1975. Minh announced that South Vietnam was surrendering unconditionally, when he went on national radio and television at 11 AM on April 30. He announced “The Republic of Vietnam policy is the policy of peace and reconciliation, aimed at saving the blood of our people. We are here waiting for the Provisional Revolutionary Government to hand over the authority in order to stop useless bloodshed.”

When the Communist troops entered the Independence Palace in Saigon, they found Minh and his Cabinet sitting around the big oval table in the Cabinet room. As they entered, Minh looked at Bui Tin and said, “We have been waiting for you so that we could turn over the government.” Another Communist officer replied “You have nothing left to turn over.”

Later in the afternoon he went on radio again and said, “I declare the Saigon government is completely dissolved at all levels.”

After his official surrender to Communist troops he was summoned to report back. After a few days he was permitted to return to his villa. He lived there for the next 8 years in seclusion, where he continued to raise birds and grow exotic orchids.

2007-02-12 09:10:34 · answer #3 · answered by gman1602 3 · 0 0

The initial support from the US went to the Republic of Vietnam when Ho wanted us to help him overthrow the French and become independent, under Truman. Ike sent the first advisors, when the French left we just stepped in and escalated...

2016-05-24 02:16:15 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

fedest.com, questions and answers