Before independence, Vietnam was divided into North and South Vietnam, with distinct political alignments. North Vietnam, led by Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Minh, was pro-communist and supported by the Soviet Union and China. South Vietnam, under leaders like Ngo Dinh Diem, was anti-communist and aligned with the United States. The U.S. provided significant military and economic support to South Vietnam, particularly during the Vietnam War (1955–1975), to counter the spread of communism.