Fall of Saigon - Presentation speak guide
* The Fall of Saigon was the capture of Saigon, South Vietnam's capital by the People's Army of Vietnam (North) and the Viet Cong on April 30, 1975. It marked the end of the Vietnam War and would later lead to the reunification of North and South Vietnam into one state.
* By this point, the US military had already pulled out in 1973 and there were very few South Vietnamese soldiers left to defend the city.
* April 30th is Reunification Day, a public holiday in Vietnam
* On April 29, North Vietnamese forces led by General Nguyen Van Toan began their final attack on Saigon with heavy military bombardment, and by the next morning they were occupying most of the important points in the city
Fall of Saigon - Operation Frequent Wind
* Picture 1 - UH-1 helicopter being pushed off the deck of an aircraft carrier to clear space for landing
* Picture 2 - Vietnamese aboard an aircraft carrier
* On the morning of April 29, 1975, the United States Secretary of Defense announced the evacuation from Saigon by helicopter of any U.S. personnel (diplomatic, military, and civilians)
* Most Americans and South Vietnamese wished to leave before the city fell because it would be very dangerous with communists in control afterwards
* research -- City of Hue
* They evacuated Vietnamese civilians from the US embassy as well as at the DAO compound (Defense Attaché Office compound)
* total: 1,373 Americans and 5,595 Vietnamese
* C-5A Galaxy and C-130 planes, helicopters
* Air support to go along with the evacuation was not needed as the North Vietnamese understood if that if they interfered with the evacuation it could result in the US retaliating
* Helicopters began to clog ship decks and eventually some were pushed overboard to allow others to land. Pilots of other helicopters were told to drop off their passengers and then take off and ditch in the sea, from where they would be rescued....