South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam, was a country in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975. It first garnered recognition in 1949 as the associated State of Vietnam within the French Union, with its capital at Saigon. Since 1950, it was a member of the Western Bloc during the Cold War. Following the 1954 partition of Vietnam, it became known as South Vietnam and was established as a republic in 1955. Its sovereignty was recognized by the United States and 87 other nations, though it failed to gain admission into the United Nations as a result of a Soviet veto in 1957. It was succeeded by the communist-controlled Republic of South Vietnam in 1975. In 1976, the Republic of South Vietnam and North Vietnam merged to form the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
South Vietnamese president Ngô Đình Diệm began a state visit to the United States, his regime's main sponsor.
On May 8, in the year 1957, South Vietnamese president Ngô Đình Diệm began a state visit to the United States, his regime's main sponsor. This event is recorded as a Selected Events event in the history of May 8, one of 390 recorded events on this date across all of history.
Key Facts
- This event took place on May 8, 1957 (AD era).
- It is categorised as a Selected Events event in recorded history.
- Referenced in 3 Wikipedia articles.
- The event is associated with a specific geographical location (see map below).
- Wikipedia source last updated on 7 May 2026.
On This Date in History 390
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