North Vietnamese Tanks Roll into Saigon

In late April 1975, the capital of South Vietnam faced encirclement by North Vietnamese armed forces and Viet Cong units. The rapid collapse of the southern defenses had developed over the preceding weeks, following the loss of the Central Highlands in March and the subsequent fall of major coastal strongholds such as Hue and Da Nang. Under the overall command of General Van Tien Dung, the offensive pressed toward Saigon with many divisions converging on the city from several directions. Defensive lines established around the perimeter cracked under sustained pressure, and the resignation of South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu on 21 April reflected the deteriorating political and military cohesion inside the capital.

By 28 April, artillery and air attacks struck close to the center of Saigon, including Tan Son Nhut Air Base, severely damaging its runways and hangars. In response to the growing disruption at the airfield, United States officials realized that transport aircraft could no longer operate reliably. Ambassador Graham Martin, who had resisted an abrupt departure in the hope of averting panic or facilitating a negotiated settlement, coordinated with Washington to activate Operation Frequent Wind on 29 April. This operation deployed American military helicopters to extract remaining United States personnel alongside thousands of South Vietnamese civilians, ferrying them from the embassy grounds and defense compound to Seventh Fleet vessels offshore.