Tây Nguyên campaign begins

Richard Nixon resigned the U.S. presidency. The political crisis further weakened the ability of the U.S. executive to sustain promises of renewed military intervention in Vietnam, a factor understood...

North Vietnamese forces began the campaign against Phước Long Province, testing the Republic of Vietnam’s ability to defend territory without the direct return of U.S. forces. The battle became a...

After the Republic of Vietnam fell, former military officers and civil servants were required to register and attend “re-education.” Detention lasted far longer for many than the short periods...

North Vietnamese forces took Phước Long city and province. The United States did not intervene militarily, signaling to leaders in Hanoi that Washington was unlikely to return to direct combat. The...

People’s Army of Vietnam forces captured Phước Long city. The Republic of Vietnam’s defeat there, without a U.S. military response, informed strategic calculations on both sides before the final...

The attack began a rapid series of military reversals for South Vietnam; the town fell on March 11. President Thiệu’s withdrawal decisions and command breakdown accelerated the collapse of...

The attack on Buôn Ma Thuột dealt a major blow to South Vietnamese defenses. The rapid changes in control brought intense fighting and the displacement of civilians, including highland communities...

President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu ordered a withdrawal from the Central Highlands. The retreat, undertaken on difficult routes, became disorganized and contributed to mass civilian flight and the collapse of...

People’s Army of Vietnam forces began a coordinated campaign toward Huế and Đà Nẵng as Republic of Vietnam defenses weakened. The fighting and hurried evacuation exposed civilians to danger and...

South Vietnamese defenses collapsed and Huế came under the control of revolutionary forces. The rapid loss of the city accelerated the crisis facing the Saigon government and displaced civilians...