South Vietnamese general who led the 1963 coup and ordered the 1975 surrender
On 30 April 1975, as Saigon fell, he ordered the surrender that ended South Vietnam's war.
Dương Văn Minh was a general in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam and served under Ngô Đình Diệm. He led the 1963 coup that overthrew Diệm and headed the junta, but Nguyễn Khánh displaced him in 1964. Minh became president in April 1975 and ordered the surrender to North Vietnamese forces on 30 April, as Saigon fell. He later emigrated to France and died in California.
Activities and affiliations
- Military command · Vietnam
Career Timeline
- 1940Began his military career in the French colonial army.
- 1952Transferred to the Vietnamese National Army.
- 1955Defeated the Bình Xuyên in the Battle of Saigon and campaigned against the Hòa Hảo private army.
- 1963Led the coup that overthrew Ngô Đình Diệm; Diệm and his brother Ngô Đình Nhu were killed after the army captured them.
- 1963–1964Led the junta for about three months before Nguyễn Khánh's coup removed him from power.
- 1975Became president on 28 April and ordered surrender to North Vietnamese forces on 30 April.
- 1983Was allowed to emigrate to France.