South Vietnam

American  

noun

1. a former country in SE Asia that comprised Vietnam S of about 17° N latitude; a separate state 1954–75; now part of reunified Vietnam. Saigon.

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South Vietnam British  

noun

1. a former republic (1955–76) occupying the S of present-day Vietnam on the South China Sea and the Gulf of Thailand

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Compare meaning

How does south-vietnam compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• North Vietnam vs. South Vietnam

Example Sentences

Many refugees made their home in the area following the communist takeover of South Vietnam.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 17, 2025

The U.S. first sent ground troops to Vietnam in March 1965 to support South Vietnam against revolutionary forces and North Vietnamese troops, but the war had been going on for years before then.

From Salon • Apr. 30, 2025

By early 1975, it was becoming clear that the war would end as South Vietnam strongholds fell to the communist forces of the Viet Cong.

From BBC • Aug. 22, 2024

In Vietnam, Buddha’s birthday is a still popular festival, but not a public holiday, which it was from 1958 to 1975 in what was formerly South Vietnam.

From Seattle Times • May 11, 2024

In the early-morning hours of January 31,1968, more than 80,000 NVA troops and VC launched the Tet Offensive, an all-out invasion of South Vietnam.

From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge