Ngô Đình Diệm (/djɛm/ or /ziːm/; Vietnamese: [ŋō ɗìn jîəmˀ]; 3 January 1901 – 2 November 1963) was a South Vietnamese politician. He was the final prime minister of the State of Vietnam (1954–1955), and then served as the first president of South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) from 1955 until he was captured and assassinated during the 1963 military coup.