The flag of South Vietnam, officially known as the Republic of Vietnam, was used from 1955 until the fall of Saigon in 1975. The flag consisted of a yellow field with three horizontal red stripes in the center, symbolizing the three regions of Vietnam – North, Central, and South. In the center of the flag was a white disk with a yellow star, which represented the unity of the Vietnamese people. The flag was designed by Emperor Bao Dai in 1948 and was later adopted by the Republic of Vietnam.