Wednesday, April 30, will mark 50 years since the fall of Saigon and the end of the Vietnam War. On that day, April 30, 1975, Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, fell to North Vietnamese forces, marking the end of the Vietnam War.
The event concluded decades of conflict and led to the formal reunification of Vietnam under communist rule on July 2, 1976.
The final assault on Saigon was part of the 1975 Spring Offensive, commanded by General Van Tien Dung.
Beginning April 29, the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and Viet Cong forces of North Vietnam launched a heavy artillery bombardment against Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) positions.
Key installations across the city came under attack, and by the afternoon of April 30, North Vietnamese forces had captured the Presidential Palace, raising their flag above it and signaling the collapse of South Vietnamese resistance.
The speed of South Vietnam's collapse shocked both American and South Vietnamese leadership. In early March 1975, a CIA and US Army Intelligence memo estimated that South Vietnam could survive into 1976.
However, the PAVN's Central Highlands offensive, launched on March 10, led to the swift fall of Buon Ma Thuot and triggered a panicked ARVN retreat.
In rapid succession, major cities including Hue (March 25) and Da Nang (March 28) fell. Refugee flows crippled South Vietnamese logistics, with over 300,000 people fleeing Da Nang alone.
American officials soon concluded that only a massive re-engagement, including B-52 bombings over Hanoi, could stop the North Vietnamese advance, but no such orders came.
By April 8, Hanoi (then capital of North Vietnam) had ordered a full-force push to Saigon, renaming the operation the "Ho Chi Minh Campaign" in honor of their revolutionary leader.
Despite a fierce stand by the ARVN's 18th Division at Xuan Loc, South Vietnamese forces were ultimately overwhelmed. President Nguyen Van Thieu resigned in a tearful televised speech on April 21, blaming the US for failing to provide promised aid.
Operation Frequent Wind
One of the most enduring images from the entire Vietnam War is the Americans’ retreat from Saigon as the city’s fall became imminent.
As it became clearer and clearer what was happening, the United States under President Gerald Ford launched Operation Frequent Wind, the largest helicopter evacuation in history.
On April 29 and 30, more than 7,000 people, including Americans, South Vietnamese officials, and third-country nationals, were airlifted from Saigon to US Navy ships offshore.
Prior to this, Operation Babylift had evacuated more than 2,500 orphans, though tragedy struck when a C-5 Galaxy crashed, killing 155 people. Operation New Life subsequently processed over 110,000 Vietnamese refugees.
Fixed-wing evacuations ended when Tan Son Nhut Air Base was shelled. Helicopters then evacuated civilians from the Defense Attaché Office compound and the US Embassy.
Desperate South Vietnamese civilians flooded the embassy grounds, and helicopters ferried evacuees from rooftop landings as North Vietnamese artillery fell nearby.
The evacuation also included chaotic scenes of South Vietnamese pilots ditching helicopters into the sea after dropping off passengers onto US Navy vessels. Ships and aircraft were abandoned to make room for more incoming evacuees.
Operation Frequent Wind continued into the morning of April 30. The final helicopter left the US Embassy at 7:53 a.m. Though about 400 third-country nationals were left behind, over 138,000 Vietnamese refugees were ultimately evacuated through various operations.
Many South Vietnamese fled by boat, air, and even abandoned military aircraft. US forces pushed helicopters overboard to make room for incoming flights, while some pilots ditched in the sea.
The last stand
As the PAVN closed in, the ARVN tried to organize a defense of Saigon, establishing five centers of resistance surrounding the city.
These included the 25th Division at Cu Chi, the 5th Division at Binh Duong, and other units at Bien Hoa, Vung Tau, and Long An.
Despite having around 60,000 troops, discipline and leadership among the ARVN forces rapidly collapsed. Retreating soldiers mingled with civilians, creating chaos inside the city. Rocket attacks resumed after a 40-month lull, and panic gripped Saigon's residents.
General Duong Van Minh, who assumed leadership on April 28, hoped to negotiate a peaceful transition. However, the North Vietnamese rejected overtures for talks, determined to secure total victory.
In the early hours of April 30, General Dung ordered a full-scale assault on Saigon. PAVN forces breached city defenses, and tanks of the 203rd Tank Brigade pushed toward the Independence Palace.
Tank 843 crashed through the side gate, followed moments later by Tank 390, which smashed through the main gate. Lieutenant Bui Quang Than raised the Viet Cong flag atop the palace.
General Minh surrendered unconditionally at 10:24 a.m., instructing ARVN forces to cease fire.
Lieutenant Colonel Bui Van Tung, who accepted the surrender, dictated Minh's formal statement dissolving the South Vietnamese government. Minh broadcast the surrender publicly at 2:30 p.m.
Aftermath
April 30 is celebrated today in Vietnam as Reunification Day or Liberation Day. While the official reunification of North and South Vietnam occurred on July 2, 1976, the fall of Saigon symbolized the end of the conflict.
Following the communist takeover, Saigon was renamed Ho Chi Minh City. The city’s population declined sharply as hundreds of thousands fled the country. "Boat people" took to the seas in search of refuge, often facing perilous journeys.
The fall of Saigon remains a powerful symbol of the legacy of the 1960s and the political upheaval it brought through the 1970s. Helicopters lifting evacuees from rooftops, tanks smashing palace gates, and desperate scenes of civilians crowding evacuation points captured global attention.
For the United States, it marked the painful end of a long, costly war. For Vietnam, it ushered in a unified, communist era that would bring its own challenges.
Some 50 years on, the memories of April 30, 1975, continue to shape the historical consciousness and current relations of both nations.