This is the first episode in a twenty part series on Vietnam and Laos between 1955 to 1965. In this episode Diem establishes control of South Vietnam defeating internal rivals so that by 1958, it seemed to have a firm grip on power in the country. Yet there are underlying problems such as corruption, political repression, lack of land reform and the Government better treatment of the Catholic minority compared to the Buddhist majority.

To be published on September 4th