Nguyen Van Thieu was a Vietnamese military officer and politician who served as the President of South Vietnam from 1967 until its fall in 1975. He rose through the ranks of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), becoming a general before entering the political arena. His presidency was dominated by the Vietnam War, during which he led the nation's fight against North Vietnam and the Viet Cong with significant American support. After the fall of Saigon, he fled the country and lived in exile until his death in the United States.