BackHeritage » Saigon » 30 Color Photos Of Peaceful 1956 Saigon

30 Color Photos Of Peaceful 1956 Saigon

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.


Related Articles:

[Photos] Saigon Then And Now

 [Video] A Helicopter Ride Through 1975 Saigon

[Photos] Inside A 1960s Saigon TV Station


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]

 

Related Articles

in Saigon

10 Old Photos Of Carriages In Saigon

Before motorized transportation was the norm in Saigon, horse-drawn carts were used to move both goods and people.

in Saigon

10 Old Pictures (and History) of the Saigon Opera House

The Saigon Opera House (aka the Municipal Theatre) is one of Saigon’s oldest buildings and one of the city’s best examples of classical French architecture. Constructed at the turn of the 20th century...

in Saigon

10 Old Pictures of Advertisements in Saigon

Before 1975, large advertisements were commonplace in Saigon. But after the American War and the fall of capitalism in the South, ads were considered a vestige of the old order and were heavily regula...

in Saigon

10 Old Pictures of Art Deco Buildings in Saigon

Art deco is by far our favorite architectural style, one which luckily, Saigon has in spades. However, with each passing day, these buildings are being torn down to make way for modern structures whic...

in Saigon

10 Old Pictures of Cars in Saigon

Though cars have been present in the country since the turn of the 20th century, decades of war (1941 – 1975) and an economic stagnation (1975 – 1986) drastically reduced the number of automobiles in ...

in Saigon

10 Old Pictures of People in Saigon

We often look to old buildings in order reconnect with the past since they are clear and static reference points. Though useful, another important window into the past is the day-to-day lives of peopl...

Partner Content