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===Consolidation In the South and Ngo Dinh Diem===
South Vietnam was controlled by Ngo Dinh Diem, but he and his allies had a tenuous hold on the country from the beginning. Diem faced his first serious threat in 1955 after being appointed the first prime minister of South Vietnam. Nguyen Van Hinh, a World War Two veteran who fought with the French resistance, launched a public criticism campaign against Diem. He was quite cavalier about a coup he was planning. However, Hinh overplayed his hand and did not have the support he needed to overthrow Diem. Hinh was force to resign his position as the Chief of Staff of the Southern Vietnamese Army and was exiled to France in 1954. The French, however, continued to support Diem’s political enemies in hopes of destabilizing the government and returning to the region. [[File:Diem.jpg|thumb|Ngo Dinh Diem First PM and President of South Vietnam]]
One such force was the Binh Xuyen, under the command of Le Van Vien, also known as Bay Vien. The Binh Xuyen were a separate military force in the Vietnam National Army, the Vietnamese military branch loyal to France. The Binh Xuyen was also involved in a great deal of criminal activity. After the partition of the country, the southern government, allowed them free reign provided they supported the government, especially in its anti-communist activities. The Binh Xuyen were in control of the capital city of Saigon. If Diem was going to have any semblance of control over South Vietnam, Bay Vien and the Binh Xuyen needed to be confronted.
Lawrence, Mark Atwood. ''The Vietnam War: A Concise International History.'' New York, Oxford Press, 2008.
Office of the Historian. Milestones in the History of US Foreign Relations. https://history.state.gov/milestones/1961-1968
USA Today. Vietnam War Timeline 9/11/2017. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/09/11/vietnam-war-timeline-u-s-involvement-over-decades/653693001/
