Ho Chi Minh Campaign
Part of the Vietnam War
VPA T-54 pushed towards Saigon
Date January 24-April 30, 1975 Location Vietnam Result Decisive North Vietnamese Victory, Fall of Saigon, Capitulation of RVN.
Combatants
Vietnam People's Army National Liberation Front	Army of the Republic of Vietnam
Commanders
General Van Tien Dung	President Nguyen Van Thieu (Until April 5)
Strength
300,000+ (est.) (NVA) 500,000+ (VC)	750,000
Casualties
Unknown	Unknown

The Ho Chi Minh Campaign began on January 24, 1975, and was the final campaign launched by the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) to destroy the government of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam). Initially the DRV leadership anticipate it to end in two years, but to their surprise, South Vietnamese resistance collapsed quicker than expected as the Vietnam People's Army smashed through the ARVN's defences with ease. The objective of the campaign was to capture Saigon in time to celebrate late President Ho Chi Minh's birthday. Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... Image File history File links QDNDVN_T-55b8. ... January 24 is the 24th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... April 30 is the 120th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (121st in leap years), with 245 days remaining. ... 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_North_Vietnam. ... 40th anniversary of Vietnam Peoples Army, commemorated on 1984 Vietnam postage stamp block The Vietnam Peoples Army (VPA) is official name for the armed forces of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. ... Image File history File links FNL_Flag. ... National Liberation Front is a common name for guerrilla organisations fighting to free their country from foreign rule, or at least claiming to be such an organisation. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_South_Vietnam. ... The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) was a military component of the armed forces of the Republic of Vietnam (commonly known as South Vietnam). ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... Combatants Viet Cong South Vietnam United States Commanders unknown battalion commander Bui Dinh Dam John Paul Vann Strength 350 1,400 Casualties 18 dead 39 wounded 83 dead 108 wounded The Battle of Ap Bac was a small-scale action early in the Vietnam War that resulted in the first... Combatants Viet Cong South Vietnam United States Commanders Gen. ... Combatants Viet Cong South Vietnam United States Casualties 85 Dead 49 ARVN dead 5 American dead The Battle of Song Be was a major action between the NLF (Viet Cong) and ARVN, the South Vietnamese army. ... Combatants Viet Cong South Vietnam United States Commanders Gen. ... Combatants North Vietnam United States Commanders Nguyen Huu An Col. ... Combatants Australia New Zealand United States North Vietnam Commanders Maj Harry Smith Nguyen Thanh Hong Strength 108 (not including supporting personnel/reinforcements) 2,500 (Disputed) Casualties 18 dead 24 wounded At least 245 dead 750 wounded (Captured documents and prisoner interrogations suggest there were 500-800 dead and around 1... The battle of Dak To was a major battle of the Vietnam war that took place between November 3 and November 22, 1967. ... Combatants North Vietnam Viet Cong South Korea Commanders Unknown commander Captain Jin-Kyung Chung Strength 2,400+ 294 Casualties 200+ killed and 2 captured 15 killed and 33 wounded The Battle of Tra Binh Dong was probably the most famous battle fought by the South Korean Marines during the Vietnam... Combatants United States Viet Cong Commanders Lt. ... Combatants Republic of Viet Nam United States of America Republic of Korea Commonwealth of New Zealand Commonwealth of Australia National Front for the Liberation of South Viet Nam (Viet Cong) Democratic Republic of Viet Nam Commanders William Westmoreland Võ Nguyên Giáp Strength 50,000+ (estimate) 85,000+ (estimate... Combatants United States North Vietnam Commanders William Westmoreland Vo Nguyen Giap Strength 6,000 20,000 Casualties 205 dead 443 wounded 2 missing 9,000+ {{{notes}}} The Battle of Khe Sanh was a Vietnam War battle between the United States Marine Corps and the Peoples Army of Vietnam at... Combatants South Vietnam United States North Vietnam Viet Cong Commanders William Westmoreland Vo Nguyen Giap Strength  ? 35 Battlions Casualties  ?  ? The First Battle of Saigon fought during the Tet Offensive was the coordinated attack by the NVA and VC, by which they attacked South Vietnams Capital Saigon from all sides. ... Combatants North Vietnam United States Commanders Unknown Capt. ... The Battle of Hill 881 was a battle between soldiers of the North Vietnamese Army and U.S. Marines during the Vietnam War. ... Tet 1969 refers to the attacks mounted by principally North Vietnamese forces in February 1969 in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. ... Combatants United States North Vietnam Commanders Melvin Zais Uncertain Strength est. ... Combatants North Vietnam United States Commanders Gen. ... Combatants United States South Vietnam North Vietnam Commanders Lt. ... Combatants United States Viet Cong Commanders Lt. ... The Eastertide Offensive was a military campaign in the Vietnam War. ... Combatants North Vietnam Viet Cong South Vietnam United States Commanders Gen. ... Combatants South Vietnam North Vietnam Commanders Col. ... Combatants Vietnam Peoples Army Army of the Republic of Vietnam Commanders Gen. ... Combatants Army of the Republic of Vietnam Vietnam Peoples Army Commanders Maj. ... Combatants Vietnam Peoples Army Army of the Republic of Vietnam Commanders General Van Tien Dung General Hieu Strength 40,000 5,000 Casualties 3 Divisions destroyed 30% of total strength The Battle of Xuan Loc was the last major battle of the Vietnam War. ... pwtha This iconic image shows South Vietnamese civilians scrambling to board a United States military helicopter during the U.S. evacuation of Saigon. ... Operation Barrell Roll was a limited, covert US Navy/2nd Air Division, US Air Force aerial interdiction campaign in northern and southern Laos that began on 14 December 1964 and lasted for the duration of the Vietnam Conflict. ... Operation Rolling Thunder (also known as the Rolling Thunder Program, in terminology of the McNamara Department of Defense) was the code name for a U.S. military campaign during the Vietnam War, the bombing of North Vietnam by air units of the U.S. Seventh Air Force, Task Force 77... Operation Steel Tiger was a covert US Air Force aerial interdiction effort targeted against North Vietnamese infiltration through southeastern Laos during the Vietnam Conflict. ... Combatants United States, Republic of Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam Operation Commando Hunt was a covert Seventh/Thirteenth United States Air Force offensive initiative that took place during the Vietnam Conflict. ... Operation Linebacker was the name of a United States military operation during the Vietnam War. ... Operation Linebacker II was a United States military operation during the Vietnam War. ... Combatants Khmer Republic North Vietnam Commanders Brig. ... Barrell Roll/Steel Tiger/Tiger Hound Areas of Operations, 1965. ... Combatants United States Thailand Hmong guerillas North Vietnam Pathet Lao Commanders Vang Pao Vo Nguyen Giap Strength 1,300+ 3,000+ Casualties 8 Americans dead 42 Thai and Hmong Unknown The Battle of Lima Site 85 was a battle of the Vietnam War. ... Operation Tailwind was a covert incursion into southeastern Laos by a company-size element (Hatchet Force) of the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observations Group (MACSOG or SOG) on 11 September 1970, during the Vietnam Conflict. ... Combatants North Vietnam Khmer Republic Commanders Unknown Brigadier General Hou Hang Sin Strength VPA 9th Division 10 FANK Battalions Casualties Unknown Decimation of the FANK Battalions Operation Chenla II was launched on August 20, 1971 by the Cambodian military (or FANK) as an attempt to regain territories lost to the... January 24 is the 24th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday. ... The Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRVN), or less commonly, Vietnamese Democratic Republic (Vietnamese: Việt Nam Dân Chủ Cá»™ng Hòa), also known as North Vietnam, was proclaimed by Ho Chi Minh in Hanoi, September 2nd1945 and was recognized by the Peoples Republic of China and the... Official language Vietnamese Capital Saigon Last President Duong Van Minh Last Prime Minister Vu Van Mau Area  - Total  - % water 173,809 km² N/A Population  - Total  - Density 19,370,000 (1973 est. ... 40th anniversary of Vietnam Peoples Army, commemorated on 1984 Vietnam postage stamp block The Vietnam Peoples Army (VPA) is official name for the armed forces of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. ... The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) was a military component of the armed forces of the Republic of Vietnam (commonly known as South Vietnam). ... Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnamese: Thành Chí Minh) is the largest city in Vietnam, located near the delta of the Mekong River. ... Hồ Chí Minh   (Chinese: 胡志明; May 19, 1890 – September 2, 1969) was a Vietnamese revolutionary and statesman, who later became Prime Minister (1946–1955) and President (1955–1969) of North Vietnam. ...

After 1973

In 1973 after the signing of the Paris Peace Accord, the South Vietnamese fielded the fourth largest military in the world as a result of the Enhance and Enhance Plus Programs. New combat and transport aircraft, tanks, helicopters, artillery pieces and other military equipment worth $753 million were shipped to South Vietnam. This arm shipment was a gesture welcomed by the South Vietnamese government, but due to the lack of sufficient training, dependence on America for spare parts, fuel and ammunition causes maintenance problems for the ARVN. The Paris Peace Accords were signed in 1973 by the governments of North Vietnam, South Vietnam, and the United States with the intent to establish peace in Vietnam. ... Official language Vietnamese Capital Saigon Last President Duong Van Minh Last Prime Minister Vu Van Mau Area  - Total  - % water 173,809 km² N/A Population  - Total  - Density 19,370,000 (1973 est. ... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) was a military component of the armed forces of the Republic of Vietnam (commonly known as South Vietnam). ...

At the same time, the North Vietnamese themselves were recovering from the ill-fated offensive of 1972 with little Soviet and Chinese military aid. The VPA High Command recognised the need for the development of an organised road network to transport sufficient supplies of food, weapons and ammunition to the front. By 1974, they had constructed an all-weather, hard-surfaced road system to accommodate the modern mechanised army which had been rebuilt since the Paris accord. As new roads were completed, fresh recruits from the North crossed into the territories occupied by the Provisional Revolutionary Government along with convoys, sometimes as great as 200-300 trucks, brought with them food, uniforms, boots, weapons and ammunition. The most notable feature of the North Vietnamese build-up was the air-defence network which consisted of twenty-two regiments equipped with radar-controlled systems with formidable SA-2 and the shoulder-launched SA-7. Such systems posed a major threat to the South Vietnamese air force because they were not equipped to deal with such threats so reconnaissance flights by the VNAF was kept to a minimum. (Caution: Saigon was renamed Hồ Chí Minh City on May 1, 1975 after the Fall/Liberation of Saigon. ...

Debate over strategy

Towards the end of 1973 the debate over the DRV's policy emerged as the Communist Party Central Committee convened to assessed the progress of the Communist in the South. General Van Tien Dung and Defence Minister Vo Nguyen Giap argued strongly for the resumption of military operations, warning that increasing passivity would effect the morale of the Army, but Premier Pham Van Dong feared that resuming military operations would drain the resources needed for recontruction. In modern usage, a communist party is a political party which promotes communism, the sociopolitical ideology based on Marxism. ... Văn Tiến Dũng (May 2, 1917 – March 17, 2002) was Chief of the General Staff for the Peoples Army of Vietnam from 1953 to 1978 and Minister of Defense of Vietnam from December, 1980 to 1986. ... General Võ Nguyên Giáp (born circa 1912[1]) Vietnamese general and statesman. ... Pham Van Dong (March 1, 1906 – April 29, 2000) was an associate of Ho Chi Minh. ...

The result was Resolution 21 which called for attacks, whenever possible, on the government of South Vietnam to regain the territories that were lost to the ARVN and to "test the reaction" of the South Vietnamese military and America. The order was given to units of the VPA for the reestablishment of military action. The first blows of this strategic policy were delivered during the months between November and December when the Communists attacked ARVN forces in Quang Duc province, Bien Hoa and at several Navy docks. North Vietnam's leaders watched closely and anxiously as strikes by American B-52s failed to materialize. Official language Vietnamese Capital Saigon Last President Duong Van Minh Last Prime Minister Vu Van Mau Area  - Total  - % water 173,809 km² N/A Population  - Total  - Density 19,370,000 (1973 est. ... The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) was a military component of the armed forces of the Republic of Vietnam (commonly known as South Vietnam). ... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) was a military component of the armed forces of the Republic of Vietnam (commonly known as South Vietnam). ... Bien Hoa is a city in Dong Nai Province, Vietnam, about 20 miles (30 kilometers) east of Ho Chi Minh City, to which Bien Hoa is linked by Vietnam Highway 1. ... B-52 can refer to the following: The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress strategic bomber aircraft A hairstyle popular in the 1950s and 1960s, named after the aircraft A rock band, The B-52s, named after the hairstyle A cocktail This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which...

President Nguyen Van Thieu, while taking advantage of North Vietnam's recuperation, has stretched his forces thin by launching offensives against Communist strongolds in Cambodia and elsewhere. While the offensives were successful the cost in terms of manpower and resources were high, by the end of 1974 the ARVN were experiencing shortages as a result of decreases in American aid while the Communist forces continue to gain strength with DAO estimates put VPA numbers at 300,000 men along with 700 tanks and 450 artillery pieces. Well aware that America was no longer willing to intervene, the North Vietnamese leadership sense that time was ripe for the final push towards Saigon, in October of 1974, the Politburo decides to launch a full-scale military operation. The objective was to capture Saigon within two years. President Nguyen Van Thieu Nguyen Van Thieu, (April 5, 1923 – September 29, 2001) was a former General and President of South Vietnam. ... The Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRVN), or less commonly, Vietnamese Democratic Republic (Vietnamese: Việt Nam Dân Chủ Cộng Hòa), also known as North Vietnam, was proclaimed by Ho Chi Minh in Hanoi, September 2nd1945 and was recognized by the Peoples Republic of China and the... The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) was a military component of the armed forces of the Republic of Vietnam (commonly known as South Vietnam). ... Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnamese: Thành Chí Minh) is the largest city in Vietnam, located near the delta of the Mekong River. ... Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnamese: Thành Chí Minh) is the largest city in Vietnam, located near the delta of the Mekong River. ...

The battle begins

General Van Tien Dung secretly crossed the border into South Vietnam on February 5, 1975, to personally take command of the VPA, his first objective was Ban-Me-Thuot. On March 11, the Vietnam People's Army launched the assault on Ban-Me-Thuot, the 4,000 ARVN defenders retreated with their families. Hue also fell on March 25 and Da Nang on March 28. Surprised by the rapid collapse of South Vietnamese resistance General Van Tien Dung prepare for the final phase of the Ho Chi Minh Campaign: to capture Saigon by May 1. Văn Tiến DÅ©ng (May 2, 1917 – March 17, 2002) was Chief of the General Staff for the Peoples Army of Vietnam from 1953 to 1978 and Minister of Defense of Vietnam from December, 1980 to 1986. ... Official language Vietnamese Capital Saigon Last President Duong Van Minh Last Prime Minister Vu Van Mau Area  - Total  - % water 173,809 km² N/A Population  - Total  - Density 19,370,000 (1973 est. ... February 5 is the 36th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 40th anniversary of Vietnam Peoples Army, commemorated on 1984 Vietnam postage stamp block The Vietnam Peoples Army (VPA) is official name for the armed forces of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. ... The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) was a military component of the armed forces of the Republic of Vietnam (commonly known as South Vietnam). ... An image with the hue altered The hue of this Painted Bunting is adjusted over the spectrum. ... March 25 is the 84th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (85th in leap years). ... Da Nang (occasionally Danang; in Vietnamese: Quốc Ngữ Đà Nẵng, Chữ Nôm 沱囊/沱曩, Chinese: 峴港) is a major port city in the South Central Coast of Vietnam, on the coast of the South China Sea. ... March 28 is the 87th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (88th in leap years). ... Văn Tiến DÅ©ng (May 2, 1917 – March 17, 2002) was Chief of the General Staff for the Peoples Army of Vietnam from 1953 to 1978 and Minister of Defense of Vietnam from December, 1980 to 1986. ... Hồ Chí Minh   (Chinese: 胡志明; May 19, 1890 – September 2, 1969) was a Vietnamese revolutionary and statesman, who later became Prime Minister (1946–1955) and President (1955–1969) of North Vietnam. ... Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnamese: Thành Chí Minh) is the largest city in Vietnam, located near the delta of the Mekong River. ... May 1 is the 121st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). ...

Realising the weakened state of the ARVN, President Nguyen Van Thieu sent a delegation to Washington in early March to request an increase in economic and military aid. US ambassador to South Vietnam Graham Martin thought that additional aid would help South Vietnam also made a trip to Washington to present the case to President Gerald Ford and the Congress . The US Congress, reluctant to divert money from economic recovery into what was already a lost cause was unwilling to increase the requested aid. President Thieu's reaction was a combination of anger and despair at what he called "shameful inadequacy" of American aid. The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) was a military component of the armed forces of the Republic of Vietnam (commonly known as South Vietnam). ... President Nguyen Van Thieu Nguyen Van Thieu, (April 5, 1923 – September 29, 2001) was a former General and President of South Vietnam. ... Nickname: DC, The District Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Location of Washington, D.C., in relation to the states Maryland and Virginia. ... Graham Martin succeeded Ellsworth Bunker as U.S. ambassador to South Vietnam in 1973. ... Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr. ...

In the final stand against the enemy, on April 9 at the provincial capital of Xuan Loc 38 miles from Saigon, the ARVN 18th Division battled for two weeks against the superior VPA forces. By April 21 the battle of Xuan Loc was well over with high casualties on both sides, the ARVN's resistance was not enough and were evacuated. Under heavy political pressure, Nguyen Van Thieu resigned as President of South Vietnam on April 21. His tearful farewell was televised. Eight days later the former Vice President Nguyen Cao Ky piloted a helicopter to the deck of the USS Midway stationed off the coast. Like many other promises made during the war, the promises made by Nguyen Van Thieu and Nguyen Cao Ky were never fulfilled, leaving behind a shattered regime. Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnamese: Thành Chí Minh) is the largest city in Vietnam, located near the delta of the Mekong River. ... The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) was a military component of the armed forces of the Republic of Vietnam (commonly known as South Vietnam). ... Combatants Vietnam Peoples Army Army of the Republic of Vietnam Commanders General Van Tien Dung General Hieu Strength 40,000 5,000 Casualties 3 Divisions destroyed 30% of total strength The Battle of Xuan Loc was the last major battle of the Vietnam War. ... The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) was a military component of the armed forces of the Republic of Vietnam (commonly known as South Vietnam). ... President Nguyen Van Thieu Nguyen Van Thieu, (April 5, 1923 – September 29, 2001) was a former General and President of South Vietnam. ... Official language Vietnamese Capital Saigon Last President Duong Van Minh Last Prime Minister Vu Van Mau Area  - Total  - % water 173,809 km² N/A Population  - Total  - Density 19,370,000 (1973 est. ... April 21 is the 111th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (112th in leap years). ... Nguyá»…n Cao Kỳ   (born 1930) is a Vietnamese politician, who served as Prime Minister of South Vietnam from 1965 to 1967, and then as Vice President until his retirement from politics in 1971. ... Three ships of the United States Navy have been named USS Midway, the first after Midway Atoll, the second and third in memory of the Battle of Midway. ... President Nguyen Van Thieu Nguyen Van Thieu, (April 5, 1923 – September 29, 2001) was a former General and President of South Vietnam. ... Nguyá»…n Cao Kỳ   (born 1930) is a Vietnamese politician, who served as Prime Minister of South Vietnam from 1965 to 1967, and then as Vice President until his retirement from politics in 1971. ...

During the final weeks of April the VPA tightened their grip around Saigon with 100,000 troops. In an effort to prevent the destruction of the city, the newly-appointed President Duong Van Minh tried to negotiate a cease-fire with the Provisional Revolutionary Government but to no avail. In the morning of April 30 a VPA tank bearing "843" crashed through the gates of the presidential palace. Later that afternoon President Duong Van Minh made a radio address announcing an unconditional surrender marking the end of the war. Dương Văn Minh (February 16, 1916 – August 6, 2001), known popularly as Big Minh, led the South Vietnamese army under Prime Minister Ngo Dinh Diem. ... April 30 is the 120th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (121st in leap years), with 245 days remaining. ... Dương Văn Minh (February 16, 1916 – August 6, 2001), known popularly as Big Minh, led the South Vietnamese army under Prime Minister Ngo Dinh Diem. ...

References

• Daily Report (1975)Asia & Pacific: Generals Giap, Dung Article on 1975 Spring Victory in South Vietnam. Foreign Broadcast Information Service.

• Dougan.C, Doyle.E, Lipsman.S, Martland.T, Weiss.S (1983) The Vietnam Experience: The False Peace. Boston Publishing Company, USA.

• Dougan.C, Doyle.E, Lipsman.S, Martland.T, Weiss.S (1983) The Vietnam Experience: Setting the Stage. Boston Publishing Company, USA.

External links

• http://www.afa.org/magazine/april2000/0400saigon.asp
• http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/vietnam/bw-index-1969.html