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Diem’s Rise to Power Ngo Dinh Diem rose to power unjustly through manipulation and United States aid. His actions helped to perpetuate American involvement in Vietnam and promote servile insurrection in Southern Vietnam. His brutal policies were the cause of many unnecessary deaths. He proved time and time again that his tactical and governmental strength was minimal, if not non-existent. All in all, Diem did little to help his country, if any, and much to promote the division that had already tormented the citizens of Vietnam for over a century. Ngo Dinh Diem was born into an aristocratic catholic family in 1901. His father was a member of the imperial court at Hue in Quang Binh Province. Ngo Dinh Diem attended his Father’s Private School, and later went on to the French Catholic Schools at Hue. Although he vehemently opposed the French, he also harbored a strong dislike for the communist led national independence movement. For a time he considered attending a seminary and becoming a priest, as did his older brother, Ngo Dinh Thuc. Eventually, however, he decided to study law at the School of Law and Public Administration in Ha Noi. Here he excelled at his studies and graduated at the top of his class (Tucker 81). Af