Bibliogr. s. 124

After the division of Vietnam into two hostile states in 1954, religion played an important role in the southern, pro-western State of Vietnam. In 1954-56 the struggle for control over the country by politico-religious organizations, or so called Sects, defined the founding period of South Vietnam. After the victory of government under the leadership of Ngo Dinh Diem and proclamation of the Republic of Vietnam, the rivalry between Catholicism and Buddhism begun to emerge. However, for various reasons, it erupted only in year 1963, and was in fact a political struggle between different visions of South Vietnam's future, and not a Catholic president repressing his Buddhist citizens, as it is often presented, especially in American literature.