From 1956–63, Lê Duẩn played a moderating role between the two factions, but with the death of Diệm and the Gulf of Tonkin incident, he became considerably more radical.
Fra 1956-63 spillede Lê Duẩn en medierende rolle mellem de to fraktioner, men med døden af ​​Ngô Đình Diệm og Tonkin-bugten blev han betydeligt mere radikal.