The High National Council was a body of 17 civilians appointed by the ruling Military Revolutionary Council of South Vietnam

South Vietnam

South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...

 in October 1964 to give a semblance of civilian rule. They chose the figurehead chief of state Phan Khac Suu

Phan Khac Suu

Phan Khắc Sửu was President of South Vietnam from 1964–1965.-Biography:He was an octogenarian, a trained agricultural engineer and was a member of the Cao Đài religion.He was a member of Emperor Bảo Đại’s political cabinet....

, who chose the civilian Prime Minister Tran Van Huong

Tran Van Huong

Trần Văn Hương was a South Vietnamese politician. He was the penultimate president of South Vietnam prior to its surrender to the communist forces of North Vietnam.-Biography:...

, although the military retained the real power. In December 1964, the junta disbanded the HNC

December 1964 South Vietnamese coup

Before dawn on December 19, 1964, the ruling military junta of South Vietnam led by General Nguyen Khanh dissolved the High National Council and arrested some of its members. The HNC was an unelected legislative-style civilian advisory body they had created at the request of the United...

after it objected to the junta's proposal to introduce a compulsory retirement age for officers.

As it consisted mainly of older men, it was often mockingly called the "High National Museum".