Fall of Saigon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fall of Saigon |
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| Part of the 1975 spring offensive of the Vietnam War | |||||||
 A CIA officer helps evacuees up a ladder onto an Air America Bell 204/205 helicopter at 22 Gia Long Street on 29 April 1975 |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 South Vietnam |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Lê Duẩn Võ Nguyên Giáp Văn Tiến Dũng Trần Văn Trà Lê Đức Anh Nguyễn Hữu An Lê Trọng Tấn |
Dương Văn Minh  Nguyễn Văn Huyền Vũ Văn Mẫu Nguyễn Văn Toàn Trần Văn Minh Nguyễn Văn Minh Phạm Văn Phú |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 270,000 regulars 180,000 irregulars and guerrillas |
60,000 regulars 60,000 RF/PF militia 5,000 police |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
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The Fall of Saigon was a major event at the end of the Vietnam War. On April 30, 1975, forces from North Vietnam captured Saigon, the capital city of South Vietnam. This event caused the South Vietnamese government to collapse. Thousands of American staff and many South Vietnamese civilians had to leave the city quickly. The capture of Saigon marked the official end of the long Vietnam War. Afterward, Vietnam became one unified country called the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on July 2, 1976.
Contents
Different Names for a Big Day
This important event has many different names, depending on who is talking about it.
- The Vietnamese government calls it "Liberation Day" or "Victory Day." They also call it the "Day of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification" (Vietnamese: Ngày giải phóng miền Nam, thống nhất đất nước).
- In many Western countries, people often call it the "Fall of Saigon."
- Many overseas Vietnamese people, who left South Vietnam after the war, call it "Black April" (Tháng tư đen). They also use names like "Day the Country Was Lost" or "National Day of Shame." These names show their sadness about what happened.
- Sometimes, people use neutral names like "April 30, 1975 incident" or simply "April 30."
North Vietnam's Quick Advance
The Vietnam War was a long and difficult conflict. In 1973, an agreement called the Paris Peace Accords was signed. It was supposed to bring peace and unite Vietnam. However, fighting continued soon after.
North Vietnam planned to take over the South by force. They started a major attack in March 1975. Many people, including Americans and South Vietnamese, were surprised by how fast the South Vietnamese defenses collapsed.
North Vietnamese forces, supported by tanks and artillery, quickly moved south. They captured important cities like Buôn Ma Thuột, Huế, and Đà Nẵng. As they advanced, many South Vietnamese soldiers retreated in a hurry. Thousands of people became refugees, fleeing from the fighting.
By April, North Vietnam's leaders decided to push even harder. They renamed their final attack the "Hồ Chí Minh campaign." This was in honor of their revolutionary leader, Ho Chi Minh.
The last major defense line before Saigon was at a place called Xuân Lộc. South Vietnamese soldiers fought bravely there for 11 days. But they eventually had to retreat on April 20. The next day, President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu of South Vietnam resigned. He felt that the United States had not given enough support.
Now, North Vietnamese forces were very close to Saigon. They had surrounded the city with many troops. South Vietnam had about 125,000 soldiers defending Saigon. However, many of these soldiers were tired and disorganized. This made the city's defense even harder.
Leaving Saigon: The Evacuation
As North Vietnamese forces got closer, people in Saigon became very worried. The city had been mostly peaceful during the war. But now, many feared that if the communists took over, there would be harsh consequences for those who had supported South Vietnam or the United States. There were concerns about what might happen to certain groups of people.
Because of these fears, many Americans and people from other allied countries wanted to leave Saigon. Many South Vietnamese people, especially those who had worked with the American or South Vietnamese government, also wanted to evacuate.
Starting in late March, some Americans began to leave. Flights out of Saigon quickly became full. Throughout April, the evacuation sped up. The American Defense Attaché Office (DAO) started flying out staff who were not essential. Many Americans did not want to leave without their Vietnamese friends and family members. It was difficult to get permission for these Vietnamese people to go to the United States. But eventually, the DAO began to fly them out secretly.
On April 3, President Gerald Ford announced "Operation Babylift." This plan aimed to evacuate about 2,000 orphans from Vietnam. Sadly, one of the planes involved in this operation crashed, and 155 people died. This was a very sad event for everyone involved. Besides the orphans, another program called Operation New Life helped over 110,000 Vietnamese refugees leave. The final evacuation was called Operation Frequent Wind. It helped 7,000 people leave Saigon by helicopter.
Planning the Final Escape
The American government, led by President Ford, started planning a full evacuation of all Americans. This planning was tricky because of many issues. Some officials wanted to evacuate everyone as fast as possible. They wanted to avoid any injuries or problems.
However, the U.S. Ambassador to South Vietnam, Graham Martin, wanted the evacuation to be calm and organized. He worried that a rushed evacuation could cause panic and violence in the city. He also wanted to prevent South Vietnamese people from turning against Americans.
President Ford approved a plan that was a mix of both ideas. Most Americans would leave quickly. A smaller group would stay until the airport was directly threatened. In the meantime, as many Vietnamese refugees as possible would be flown out.
The Ford administration also hoped to get more military help for South Vietnam. Ambassador Martin believed that negotiations with North Vietnam might still be possible. He thought a gradual departure of Americans and helpful locals could be arranged over several months.
There were also legal questions about using military forces for the evacuation. This was because of a new law called the War Powers Resolution. White House lawyers decided that rescuing citizens in an emergency was likely allowed. However, using military planes to take out refugees was less clear.
Leaving Everything Behind: Refugees
While American citizens usually had an easy way to leave, South Vietnamese people faced many challenges. Those who wanted to escape often had to make their own arrangements. The cost of getting a passport and exit visa became very high. The price of boats also tripled.
Many people had to sell their homes and belongings for very little money, or simply leave them behind. American visas became extremely valuable. Vietnamese people looking for American sponsors even placed ads in newspapers. One ad said: "Seeking adoptive parents. Poor diligent students."
Many of the Vietnamese who became refugees in the United States had worked for the South Vietnamese government or military. They hoped to find freedom in America. However, they often faced a difficult process of settling into a new country. They stayed in special centers before starting their new lives.
Political Changes and Peace Efforts
As North Vietnam took more land, many people in South Vietnam became unhappy with President Thiệu. In early April, the Senate asked for new leaders. Some military commanders even thought about taking over the government. President Thiệu tried to make changes, but it didn't help much.
On April 8, a South Vietnamese pilot, who was secretly a communist, bombed the Independence Palace. President Thiệu was not hurt. The pilot then flew to a North Vietnamese airfield.
Many American officials, including Ambassador Martin, still hoped for peace talks. They thought that if the military situation became stable, negotiations with North Vietnam might be possible. North Vietnam, however, said they would only talk if President Thiệu was not in charge.
Because of all this pressure, President Thiệu resigned on April 21. In a sad speech, he criticized the United States. He felt they had forced South Vietnam to agree to the Paris Peace Accords. He also believed they had failed to support South Vietnam afterward. The presidency then went to Vice President Trần Văn Hương. North Vietnam, however, said this new government was just "another puppet regime."
The Final Days
All times given are Saigon time.
Saigon Surrounded
On April 26, North Vietnamese forces began their final attacks on the areas around Saigon. They pushed through defenses, even though South Vietnamese soldiers fought back hard. By April 27, rockets hit Saigon for the first time in over three years.
With no hope for talks, President Hương resigned on April 28. General Dương Văn Minh became the new president. He had some connections with the communists, and people hoped he could arrange a ceasefire. But North Vietnam was not interested in talking.
On April 28, North Vietnamese forces fought their way to the edge of the city. At 6:06 PM, three planes flown by former South Vietnamese pilots, who had joined North Vietnam, bombed Tan Son Nhut Air Base. This caused damage to aircraft. Later, other planes leaving the base reported being shot at.
On April 29, a C-130 plane was destroyed by a rocket while picking up refugees. This was the last American fixed-wing aircraft to leave Tan Son Nhut. South Vietnamese air force planes also began to leave the base, flying to Thailand or to American ships. Some stayed to fight, but two were shot down.
By 6:00 AM on April 29, North Vietnam's leaders ordered their forces to attack "straight into the enemy's final lair." After a day of heavy fighting, they were ready to enter the city.
Operation Frequent Wind: The Helicopter Escape
The constant rocket fire and debris on the runways at Tan Son Nhut made it impossible for planes to take off. General Homer D. Smith, the American defense attaché, told Ambassador Martin that the evacuation would have to be done by helicopter.
Ambassador Martin went to the air base himself to see the situation. After realizing that planes could not be used, he gave the signal for the helicopter evacuation to begin.
At 10:48 AM on April 29, Ambassador Martin asked to start Operation Frequent Wind. This was the plan to evacuate American staff and Vietnamese people who were in danger. At 10:51 AM, the order was given. The American radio station in Saigon began playing Irving Berlin's "White Christmas." This was the secret signal for American personnel to go to the evacuation points immediately.
Large helicopters, like the CH-53 and CH-46, were used to fly people to American ships in the South China Sea. The main evacuation point was the DAO Compound at Tan Son Nhut. Buses brought passengers from the city to the airport. By evening, hundreds of Americans and thousands of Vietnamese had been evacuated.
The original plan did not include a large helicopter operation at the U.S. Embassy. But thousands of people, including many Vietnamese, became stuck there. More Vietnamese civilians gathered outside the embassy, climbing the walls to seek safety. Even with thunderstorms, the evacuation from the embassy continued all night.
At 3:45 AM on April 30, President Ford ordered Ambassador Martin to evacuate only Americans from that point on. Martin sadly announced this change. He was then ordered by President Ford to board an evacuation helicopter himself. His helicopter, called "Lady Ace 09," took off at 4:58 AM. The embassy evacuation had flown out 978 Americans and about 1,100 Vietnamese. The Marines guarding the embassy left at dawn, with the last aircraft departing at 7:53 AM. Hundreds of Vietnamese and South Koreans were left behind at the embassy.
The North Vietnamese leaders had told their forces not to shoot at the evacuation helicopters. They believed that completing the evacuation would reduce the chance of America getting involved again. Many South Vietnamese police also helped protect the American evacuation buses.
Even after the American military left, many Vietnamese continued to escape by boat or by flying their own aircraft to the American fleet. Many South Vietnamese helicopters were pushed into the ocean to make space on the ships for more aircraft.
The Final Attack and Surrender
In the early hours of April 30, North Vietnamese forces received orders to attack. They were told to go straight to key places in Saigon.
North Vietnamese tanks and infantry fought their way into the city. There were last stands by South Vietnamese soldiers at places like the Newport Bridge and Tan Son Nhut Air Base. Tanks were destroyed on both sides in fierce fighting.
At 10:24 AM, President Minh announced an unconditional surrender. He told all South Vietnamese troops to stop fighting peacefully. He also invited the Provisional Revolutionary Government to take over power to avoid more bloodshed.
Around 10:30 AM, South Vietnamese commanders heard the surrender broadcast. They ordered their men to withdraw. At 10:30 AM, North Vietnamese tanks crossed the Newport Bridge.
The first North Vietnamese tanks burst through the gates of the Independence Palace around noon. Tank 843 hit the side gate, and Tank 390 crashed through the main gate. Lieutenant Bùi Quang Thận then took down the South Vietnamese flag from the Palace and raised the Viet Cong flag at 11:30 AM.
Inside the Palace, President Minh and his cabinet were waiting. A North Vietnamese officer, Commissar Bùi Văn Tùng, told Minh: "You have nothing to hand over but your unconditional surrender to us." Tùng then wrote a speech for Minh to read on the radio, announcing the surrender and the end of the South Vietnamese government.
At 2:30 PM, President Minh formally announced the surrender of South Vietnam. Then, Commissar Tùng announced that Saigon was completely liberated. This moment marked the official end of the Vietnam War.
Aftermath: A New Chapter
Saigon's New Name
After the capture, the communists renamed the city Ho Chi Minh City, in honor of their former president. However, many residents and others still call it "Saigon" today. Order was slowly brought back to the city. The deserted U.S. Embassy and many businesses were looted. Communications with the outside world were cut.
The new authorities held a victory celebration on May 7. One of their goals was to reduce the population of Saigon. Many people had moved to the city during the war, leading to overcrowding and high unemployment. People who had been soldiers in the South Vietnamese army were sent to special camps for "re-education." There, they faced difficult conditions and hard work. The government encouraged people to move from the city to the countryside to farm. Within two years, about one million people had left Saigon.
Refugees and New Lives
The evacuation of Saigon was seen by many as a big achievement. However, some criticized it for being too slow and not helping enough Vietnamese civilians and soldiers who had worked with the Americans.
The U.S. State Department estimated that about 90,000 Vietnamese employees of the U.S. Embassy and their families needed to be evacuated. Ambassador Martin stated that over 22,000 of these people were evacuated by the end of April.
An famous photograph shows people getting into an Air America helicopter on the roof of an apartment building. This picture is often mistakenly thought to be from the U.S. Embassy.
Many Vietnamese people who were evacuated were allowed to enter the United States. Decades later, when the U.S. government reopened its diplomatic relations with Vietnam, the former embassy building was returned to the United States. The historic staircase from the apartment building's rooftop helicopter pad is now on display at the Gerald R. Ford Museum in Michigan.
Remembering the Day
April 30 is a public holiday in Vietnam called Reunification Day or Liberation Day. Most people take the day off work, and there are public celebrations.
However, for many overseas Vietnamese people, the week of April 30 is known as "Black April." It is a time to remember the fall of Saigon and South Vietnam.
See also
- Indochina refugee crisis
- Indochina wars
- Re-education camp (Vietnam)
- 1975 in the Vietnam War
- Tet Offensive
- Withdrawal from Aden
- Fall of Kabul (1992)
- Fall of Kabul (2021)
- Fall of Phnom Penh
- Fall of Damascus (2024)
