I read about it in the Pentagon Papers, but even pro-Western sources and NATOpedia agree on this. The DRV signed a treaty with French-controlled "State of Vietnam" at Geneva in 1954 that provided for free nationwide elections and the unification of Vietnam in 1956. Ngo Dinh Diem came to power in the South via a rigged election (universally recognized as such) in 1955 with US backing, swapping out the French for the US as colonial masters and backing out of South Vietnam's obligations for elections and unification in 1956. This was because the US didn't want to allow Vietnam to become socialist via democratic means.
The southern government was just a continuation of the local colonial government, it can’t get more puppet than that.
Also, you got a source on the election prevention? Not doubting you, just want to pull that out on chuds.
I read about it in the Pentagon Papers, but even pro-Western sources and NATOpedia agree on this. The DRV signed a treaty with French-controlled "State of Vietnam" at Geneva in 1954 that provided for free nationwide elections and the unification of Vietnam in 1956. Ngo Dinh Diem came to power in the South via a rigged election (universally recognized as such) in 1955 with US backing, swapping out the French for the US as colonial masters and backing out of South Vietnam's obligations for elections and unification in 1956. This was because the US didn't want to allow Vietnam to become socialist via democratic means.