1954 To 1987
During 1954 he served as Vice-Premier and Minister of Foreign Affairs. At the 5th session of the DRV First National Congress (1955), Dong was appointed prime minister. He is well known for being one of the leaders of Vietnam during the war with the United States. He was known to have close links with the Chinese government, who helped fund the conflict with South Vietnam. He was also one of the figures involved in peace talks to end the conflict under the administrations of Lyndon Baines Johnson and Richard Nixon.
In general, Pham Van Dong was considered a staunch communist and a great nationalist leader; one of the most faithful disciples of Ho Chi Minh and a major figure in Vietnam's fight for independence and unity. He was known as a politician who tried to maintain a neutral position in the various conflicts within the party, particularly after the unification of Vietnam in 1975. In a 1981 interview with Stanley Karnow, Pham Van Dong remarked
"Yes, we defeated the United States. But now we are plagued by problems. We do not have enough to eat. We are a poor, underdeveloped nation. Vous savez, waging a war is simple, but running a country is very difficult."
This pragmatism might explain how he stayed in the position of Prime Minister for 32 years until 1987, when his retirement was approved by the 6th National Party Congress.
Read more about this topic: Pham Van Dong