Today in Asian History - Fall of Saigon

On April 30, 1975, the South Vietnamese capital of Saigon fell to the Army of North Vietnam.

The fall of Saigon ended the Vietnam War; the government of South Vietnam surrendered that same day, and Vietnam became a unified Communist country.

The US Embassy famously had to evacuate its staff from the roof via helicopter. US troops had left the country in March 1973, leaving the South Vietnamese army to fight on its own for the final two years of the war.

Photo of South Vietnamese family fleeing Saigon after the fall, April 1975, by Jean-Claude Francolon / Liason via Getty Images.

May 18: This version corrected from earlier statement that Saigon fell to the Army of North Vietnam and the Viet Cong. My thanks to Robert Elegant for pointing out the mistake.