Black April : the fall of South Vietnam, 1973-1975 / George J. Veith.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Veith, George J., 1957-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Vietnam War, 1961-1975--United States.

Vietnam War, 1961-1975.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (625 p.)

Edition:

First American edition.

Place of Publication:

New York : Encounter Books, 2012.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

The defeat of South Vietnam was arguably Americas worst foreign policy disaster of the 20th Century. Yet a complete understanding of the endgame-from the 27 January 1973 signing of the Paris Peace Accords to South Vietnams surrender on 30 April 1975-has eluded us. Black April addresses that deficit. A culmination of exhaustive research in three distinct areas: primary source documents from American archives, North Vietnamese publications containing primary and secondary source material, and dozens of articles and numerous interviews with key South Vietnamese participants, this book represents one of the largest Vietnamese translation projects ever accomplished, including almost one hundred rarely or never seen before North Vietnamese unit histories, battle studies, and memoirs. Most important, to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of South Vietnams conquest, the leaders in Hanoi released several compendiums of formerly highly classified cables and memorandum between the Politburo and its military commanders in the south. This treasure trove of primary source materials provides the most complete insight into North Vietnamese decision-making ever complied. While South Vietnamese deliberations remain less clear, enough material exists to provide a decent overview.Ultimately, whatever errors occurred on the American and South Vietnamese side, the simple fact remains that the country was conquered by a North Vietnamese military invasion despite written pledges by Hanois leadership against such action. Hanois momentous choice to destroy the Paris Peace Accords and militarily end the war sent a generation of South Vietnamese into exile, and exacerbated a societal trauma in America over our long Vietnam involvement that reverberates to this day. How that transpired deserves deeper scrutiny.

Contents:

"The U.S. will react vigorously" : signing the Paris Peace Accords

"South Vietnam will have both peace and war": the collapse of the accords

"Enough to make the angels weep" : trading ammunition for blood

"A rainy season like no other" : the war resumes

"Even the gods weep for Phuoc Long" : the beginning of the end

"How can the free world abandon us?" : waiting for the next attack

"Good-bye for now, Ban Me Thuot" : beginning the 1975 offensive

"Light at the top, heavy at the bottom" : decisions that destroyed a nation

"The road of blood and tears" : the retreat from the highlands

"Chaos and disintegration" : surrounding Saigon

"How can I abandon this rocky soil?" : fighting to save Hue

"The hours of hell" : the fall of I Corps

"The sea is our only hope" : the battle for the coastal cities

"Lightning speed, daring, surprise, certain victory" : the PAVN surrounds Saigon

"Hold fast the remaining land" : the South Vietnamese fight back

"No matter what happens, do not stop your attack!" : capturing Phan Rang

"I will knock them down!" : the ARVN hold at Xuan Loc

"Do not come home until victory is won": the fall of Saigon.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references (pages [541]-556) and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9781594037054

1594037051

OCLC:

857800137