<Ul> <Li> 1946--47 Autonomous Republic of Cochinchina (Chính phủ Cộng hoà Nam Kỳ tự trị). The creation of this republic, during the First Indochina War (1946--1954), allowed France to evade a promise to recognise Vietnam as independent . The government was renamed in 1947 Provisional Governenment of South Vietnam, overtly stating its aim to reunite the whole country <Ul> <Li> Nguyễn Văn Thinh (1946) </Li> <Li> Lê Văn Hoạch (1946--47) </Li> <Li> Nguyễn Văn Xuân (1947--48) </Li> </Ul> </Li> <Li> 1948--49 Provisional Central Government of Vietnam (Chính phủ lâm thời Quốc gia Việt Nam). This "pre-Vietnam" government prepared for a unified Vietnamese state, but the country's full reunification was delayed for a year because of the problems posed by Cochinchina's legal status . <Ul> <Li> Nguyễn Văn Xuân (1948--49) </Li> </Ul> </Li> <Li> 1949--1955 State of Vietnam (Quốc gia Việt Nam). Internationally recognized in 1950 . Roughly 60 percent of Vietnamese territory was actually physically controlled by the communist Việt Minh . Vietnam was partitioned at the 17th parallel in 1954 . <Ul> <Li> Bảo Đại (1949--1955). Abdicated as emperor (constitutional monarch) in 1945 following surrender of Imperial Japanese occupying forces at the end of World War II, later serving as Head of State to 1955 . </Li> </Ul> </Li> <Li> 1955--1975 Republic of Vietnam (Việt Nam Cộng Hòa). Fought Vietnam War (Second Indochina War), (1959--75) against the Hanoi government of Ho Chi Minh . <Ul> <Li> Ngô Đình Diệm (1955--1963). Once highly lauded by America, he was ousted and assassinated in a U.S. - backed coup in November 1963 . </Li> <Li> In 1963--1965, there were numerous coups and short - lived governments, several of which were headed by Dương Văn Minh or Nguyễn Khánh . </Li> <Li> Nguyễn Văn Thiệu (1965--1975). Prime Minister Nguyễn Cao Kỳ, former charismatic maverick Air Force marshal was the top leader of the last of the military regimes in 1965--1967 before a US - backed civilian government was instituted, following a new constitution and elections in 1967, with Thieu elected president . </Li> <Li> Trần Văn Hương (1975). </Li> <Li> Dương Văn Minh (2nd time) (1975). Surrendered to invading Communists in Saigon's Presidential Palace when others abandoned their posts . </Li> </Ul> </Li> <Li> 1975--76 Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam (Chính phủ Cách mạng lâm thời Cộng hoà miền Nam Việt Nam). </Li> </Ul> <Li> 1946--47 Autonomous Republic of Cochinchina (Chính phủ Cộng hoà Nam Kỳ tự trị). The creation of this republic, during the First Indochina War (1946--1954), allowed France to evade a promise to recognise Vietnam as independent . The government was renamed in 1947 Provisional Governenment of South Vietnam, overtly stating its aim to reunite the whole country <Ul> <Li> Nguyễn Văn Thinh (1946) </Li> <Li> Lê Văn Hoạch (1946--47) </Li> <Li> Nguyễn Văn Xuân (1947--48) </Li> </Ul> </Li> <Ul> <Li> Nguyễn Văn Thinh (1946) </Li> <Li> Lê Văn Hoạch (1946--47) </Li> <Li> Nguyễn Văn Xuân (1947--48) </Li> </Ul> <Li> Nguyễn Văn Thinh (1946) </Li>

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