1954 in the Vietnam War was a Catholic appointed to rule a country that was predominantly Buddhist. In the words of one historian, "Diệm's attractiveness to his first American patrons derived from three qualities: he was a certified anti-communist nationalist, he was a Roman Catholic, and he understood English." English language ability was rare among Vietnamese at the time. 21 July The Geneva Accords were signed in Paris. The accords called for a cease fire in the war, the independence of Vietnam, its division at the 17th parallel of latitude into two provisional states, North Vietnam and the State of Vietnam (South Vietnam), and the
Latvian–Soviet Peace Treaty Latvian–Soviet Peace Treaty The Latvian–Soviet Peace Treaty, also known as the Treaty of Riga, was signed on 11 August 1920 by representatives of the Republic of Latvia and Soviet Russia. It officially ended the Latvian War of Independence. In Article II of the treaty, Soviet Russia recognised the independence of Latvia as inviolable "for all future time". After World War I, Soviet Russia wanted to regain Latvia, since it had once been a part of the Russian Empire. The Red Army invaded Latvia in 1918 after the Latvian prime minister, Karlis Ulmanis, declared its independence. The Red Army was able