1956 was the calm before the storm of violent conflict that would characterize the next 2 decades and transform Saigon into a militarized city, plagued by bombings and overcrowded by war refugees.
This was the year that the country’s, political environment began to heavily deteriorate. Ngo Dinh Diem had consolidated power in the South and refused to hold national elections as stipulated by the Geneva Accords.
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It was also the year that the French had completely withdrew from the Vietnam, handing off their colonial legacy to the Americans who expanded their military presence in the country.
But on the streets of Saigon, these fateful events had yet to fundamentally change the city’s character as seen in the photos below.
[Reds]
