Posted on Apr 23, 2016
Ford says that war is finished for America - Apr 23, 1975 - HISTORY.com
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At a speech at Tulane University, President Gerald Ford says the Vietnam War is finished as far as America is concerned. “Today, Americans can regain the sense of pride that existed before Vietnam. But it cannot be achieved by re-fighting a war.” This was devastating news to the South Vietnamese, who were desperately pleading for U.S. support as the North Vietnamese surrounded Saigon for the final assault on the capital city.
The North Vietnamese had launched a major offensive in March to capture the provincial capital of Ban Me Thuot (Darlac province) in the Central Highlands. The South Vietnamese defenders there fought very poorly and were quickly overwhelmed by the North Vietnamese attackers. Despite previous promises by both Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford to provide support, the United States did nothing. In an attempt to reposition his forces for a better defense, South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu ordered his forces in the Highlands to withdraw to more defensible positions to the south. What started out as a reasonably orderly withdrawal soon degenerated into a panic that spread throughout the South Vietnamese armed forces. The South Vietnamese abandoned Pleiku and Kontum in the Highlands with very little fighting and the North Vietnamese pressed the attack from the west and north. In quick succession, Quang Tri, Hue, and Da Nang in the north fell to the communist onslaught. The North Vietnamese continued to attack south along the coast, defeating the South Vietnamese forces at each encounter.
As the North Vietnamese forces closed on the approaches to Saigon, the politburo in Hanoi issued an order to Gen. Van Tien Dung to launch the “Ho Chi Minh Campaign,” the final assault on Saigon itself. Dung ordered his forces into position for the final battle.
The South Vietnamese 18th Division made a valiant final stand at Xuan Loc, 40 miles northeast of Saigon, in which the South Vietnamese soldiers destroyed three of Dung’s divisions. However, the South Vietnamese finally succumbed to the superior North Vietnamese numbers. With the fall of Xuan Loc on April 21 and Ford’s statement at Tulane, it was apparent that the North Vietnamese would be victorious. President Thieu resigned and transferred authority to Vice President Tran Van Huong before fleeing Saigon on April 25.
By April 27, the North Vietnamese had completely encircled Saigon and began to maneuver for their final assault. By the morning of April 30, it was all over. When the North Vietnamese tanks crashed through the gates of COL Mikel J. Burroughs @the Presidential Palace in Saigon, the South Vietnamese surrendered and the Vietnam War was officially over. SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas @sgt john mcconnell SGT John " Mac " McConnell Capt Christopher Mueller CPT (Join to see) Sgt Joe LaBranche SSgt (Join to see) TSgt Hunter Logan Capt Seid Waddell SrA Christopher Wright LTC Stephen F. PO2 Mark Saffell PO2 Ed C. @msg tom PVT James Strait Alan K. Maj Kim Patterson @po1 william "chip" PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
At a speech at Tulane University, President Gerald Ford says the Vietnam War is finished as far as America is concerned. “Today, Americans can regain the sense of pride that existed before Vietnam. But it cannot be achieved by re-fighting a war.” This was devastating news to the South Vietnamese, who were desperately pleading for U.S. support as the North Vietnamese surrounded Saigon for the final assault on the capital city.
The North Vietnamese had launched a major offensive in March to capture the provincial capital of Ban Me Thuot (Darlac province) in the Central Highlands. The South Vietnamese defenders there fought very poorly and were quickly overwhelmed by the North Vietnamese attackers. Despite previous promises by both Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford to provide support, the United States did nothing. In an attempt to reposition his forces for a better defense, South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu ordered his forces in the Highlands to withdraw to more defensible positions to the south. What started out as a reasonably orderly withdrawal soon degenerated into a panic that spread throughout the South Vietnamese armed forces. The South Vietnamese abandoned Pleiku and Kontum in the Highlands with very little fighting and the North Vietnamese pressed the attack from the west and north. In quick succession, Quang Tri, Hue, and Da Nang in the north fell to the communist onslaught. The North Vietnamese continued to attack south along the coast, defeating the South Vietnamese forces at each encounter.
As the North Vietnamese forces closed on the approaches to Saigon, the politburo in Hanoi issued an order to Gen. Van Tien Dung to launch the “Ho Chi Minh Campaign,” the final assault on Saigon itself. Dung ordered his forces into position for the final battle.
The South Vietnamese 18th Division made a valiant final stand at Xuan Loc, 40 miles northeast of Saigon, in which the South Vietnamese soldiers destroyed three of Dung’s divisions. However, the South Vietnamese finally succumbed to the superior North Vietnamese numbers. With the fall of Xuan Loc on April 21 and Ford’s statement at Tulane, it was apparent that the North Vietnamese would be victorious. President Thieu resigned and transferred authority to Vice President Tran Van Huong before fleeing Saigon on April 25.
By April 27, the North Vietnamese had completely encircled Saigon and began to maneuver for their final assault. By the morning of April 30, it was all over. When the North Vietnamese tanks crashed through the gates of COL Mikel J. Burroughs @the Presidential Palace in Saigon, the South Vietnamese surrendered and the Vietnam War was officially over. SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas @sgt john mcconnell SGT John " Mac " McConnell Capt Christopher Mueller CPT (Join to see) Sgt Joe LaBranche SSgt (Join to see) TSgt Hunter Logan Capt Seid Waddell SrA Christopher Wright LTC Stephen F. PO2 Mark Saffell PO2 Ed C. @msg tom PVT James Strait Alan K. Maj Kim Patterson @po1 william "chip" PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
Ford says that war is finished for America - Apr 23, 1975 - HISTORY.com
Posted from history.com
Warfare
American History
Vietnam War
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 8
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Regain that sense of pride?I think that those of us that served in Vietnam never lost it,I mean pride and the war
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Sgt (Join to see)
SGT Philip Roncari I agree. Those of us that served in Vietnam never lost our sense of pride, or had anything to feel guilty about.
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We can thank Congress for this collapse; they cut off the funds needed to support the South Vietnamese as we agreed to do.
"Historians have directly attributed the fall of Saigon in 1975 to the cessation of American aid. Without the necessary funds, South Vietnam found it logistically and financially impossible to defeat the North Vietnamese army. Moreover, the withdrawal of aid encouraged North Vietnam to begin an effective military offensive against South Vietnam.
Historian Lewis Fanning went so far as to say that 'it was not the Hanoi communists who won the war, but rather the American Congress that lost it'."
http://historynewsnetwork.org/article/31400
"Historians have directly attributed the fall of Saigon in 1975 to the cessation of American aid. Without the necessary funds, South Vietnam found it logistically and financially impossible to defeat the North Vietnamese army. Moreover, the withdrawal of aid encouraged North Vietnam to begin an effective military offensive against South Vietnam.
Historian Lewis Fanning went so far as to say that 'it was not the Hanoi communists who won the war, but rather the American Congress that lost it'."
http://historynewsnetwork.org/article/31400
What Happened When Democrats in Congress Cut Off Funding for the Vietnam War?
The prospect of Democrats controlling the 110th Congress has raised speculation over a possible suspension of funds for the war in Iraq. Given control of the purse strings, a Democratic Congress would be in the position to force the government to begin the withdrawal of troops. Although they have been hesitant to define their plan for Iraq, some Democrats have hinted at a drastic reduction in funds. When asked in a recent interview how a...
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Capt Seid Waddell
Sgt (Join to see), our Democrats threw it away - and they are just as busy today trying to throw the current war on terrorism away too. All that blood and sacrifice is for nothing when the left gains sway.
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Sgt Ramon Nacanaynay
I think we ALL "lost" the war. Nobody truly wins a war and no one can be truly so isolated and independent so as to be not responsible to others. War is obsolete. We have the reasoning capacity the education and technology, but not the courage and Faith to follow it to the truth - that we are all one People. No one has the choice of race, economic division or what country they are born into. We do not inherit the sins of our parents or leaders.. War is the poor and uneducated destroying themselves for the benefit of the few "Powerful" people. These "Powerful" people convince others of their power and the need to use violence, oppression, intimidation, coercion and bullying to appease their Fears. Fears are real, but are they truly yours/ Have you outgrown them yet? Are the powerful immature or are they in need of mental health resources? True, no one is perfect that is why we need each other.
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Capt Seid Waddell
Sgt Ramon Nacanaynay, "War is obsolete."
That is wishful thinking; tell it to ISIS, the Russians, the Iranians, and the Chinese and see how far you get.
That is wishful thinking; tell it to ISIS, the Russians, the Iranians, and the Chinese and see how far you get.
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