1959 in the Vietnam War
| 1959 in the Vietnam War | |||
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← 1958
1960 →
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 A map of South Vietnam showing provincial boundaries and names and military zones (I, II, III, and IV Corps). |
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| Belligerents | |||
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Anti-Communist forces:  South Vietnam United States Kingdom of Laos
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Communist forces:  North VietnamAnti-government insurgents  Pathet Lao
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| Strength | |||
| US: | 5,000 Insurgents | ||
| Casualties and losses | |||
| US: 4 killed from 1956–1959 South Vietnam: killed |
North Vietnam: casualties | ||
Anti-Communist forces:
Communist forces:
1959 saw Vietnam still divided into South (ruled by President Ngô Đình Diệm) and North (lead by communist Ho Chi Minh). North Vietnam authorized the Viet Cong to undertake limited military action as well as political action to subvert the Diệm government. North Vietnam also authorized the construction of what would become known as the Ho Chi Minh Trail to supply the Viet Cong in South Vietnam. Armed encounters between the Viet Cong and the government of South Vietnam became more frequent and with larger numbers involved. In September, 360 soldiers of the South Vietnamese army were ambushed by a force of about one hundred guerrillas.
In August an election chose the members of South Vietnam's National Assembly. The election was marred by intimidation and fraud by Diệm's party which won the majority of seats. Diệm's most prominent critic, Phan Quang Đán, was elected but was prevented from serving in the Assembly.
Diệm began the year seeming to be firmly in control of South Vietnam, but Viet Cong military successes began to impact his government by the end of the year.
Summing up President Ngô Đình Diệm's accomplishments over the preceding several years, an United States Army historian said, "Bolstered by some $190 million a year in American military and economic aid, Diệm enforced at least a degree of governmental authority throughout South Vietnam. His regime resettled the refugees, achieved a measure of economic prosperity, and promulgated what was, on paper, a progressive land reform policy. By means of a series of harsh and indiscriminate but effective anti-Communist 'denunciation' campaigns, Diệm made progress in destroying the remaining Viet Minh organization in the countryside. His troops kept the surviving sect and Communist guerrillas on the run, and his government attempted to establish mass organizations of its own to control and indoctrinate the people."
The Viet Cong were estimated to number 5,000.
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