Giap does not try to conceal that the success of the final North Vietnamese advance to victory depended on the U.S. departure in 1975 and on the politically crippled position of President Richard M. Nixon. He also reveals the worry that surrounded the possibility of subsequent American reintervention in response to North Vietnamese offensive moves.In point of fact the last US combat troops left Vietnam on March 29, 1973 as President Nixon declared "the day we have all worked and prayed for has finally come." On January 27, 1973 the last American soldier to die in combat in Vietnam, Lt. Col. William B. Nolde, is killed.
The South Vietnamese fought alone for two years after we left. The Vietnamese Communiists violated the Paris Peace Accords, which were signed on January 27, 1973. In early 1975, they invaded the South with 20 divisions. We did nothing in response. The US evacuated the Embassy in Saigon on April 30, 1975.
Nixon resigned on August 9, 1974 and Ford became the President.
Very good synopsis, KaBar.
During the summer of '71, the Marines left I Corps, their bases were turned over to Army. I left in late July, by that time Danang A/B was run by USAF but guarded by Army.
I just saw Newt on FNC this morning and he did a recap of Congress' actions leading up to the fall of Saigon. Congress cut off all aid and ammunition to the SVN gov't ensuring the collapse of an ally. Newt believes the Dem congress wants a VN Redux in Iraq.......and would allow the ensuing blood bath.
Years ago I met a vet who pulled a tour in the Saigon/ Nha Trang area after all combat personnel left and the ARVNs were in charge. He said a tour SVN at the time was not much different from a tour in the P.I. or Thailand. The ARVNs did ok.