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The Fall of Saigon

The fall of the American embassy in Saigon remains one of the most symbolically significant moments of the war in Vietnam. Although the peace accords had been signed in 1973 and U.S. troops were long gone, the speed in which South Vietnam collapsed was disheartening following the outlay of so much American blood and effort. For the South Vietnamese, it meant the loss of a country, and it triggered one of the most significant refugee crises since World War II. It also meant the beginning of a long and difficult reunification and reconciliation process after 20 years of war. In this lesson, students will examine many retrospectives of the war in Vietnam following the fall of Saigon.

Topic

The Fall of Saigon

Essential Question

Was the fall of Saigon in 1975 a victory or a defeat?

Standards

Maryland State Standards

  • 5.E.1.d. Objective: Understand “Vietnamization” and the other actions the United States took to in an effort to withdraw from the war in Vietnam. Describe the effects those actions had on the Vietnamese people.

Common Core State Standards (CCSS)

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.1 : Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the information. (Grades 9/10)
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.2 : Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas. (Grades 11/12)
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.7 : Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a question or solve a problem. (Grades 11/12)
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.8 : Evaluate an author's premises, claims, and evidence by corroborating or challenging them with other information. (Grades 11/12)

College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Standards

  • D2.His.1.9-12: Evaluate how historical events and developments were shaped by the unique circumstances of the time and place, as well as by broader historical contexts.
  • D2.His.4.9-12: Analyze complex and interacting factors that influenced the perspective of people during different historical eras.

College Board AP US History Standards

  • 8.1 The United States responded to an uncertain and unstable postwar world by asserting and working to maintain a position of global leadership, with far-reaching domestic and international consequences.
    1. United States policymakers engaged in the Cold War with the authoritarian Soviet Union, seeking to limit the growth of communist military power and ideological influence, create a free-market global economy, and build an international security system.
      1. Post-war decolonization and the emergence of a powerful nationalist movement in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East led both sides in the cold war to seek allies among new nations, many of which remained nonaligned.
    2. Cold War policies led to public debates over the power of the federal government and acceptable means of pursuing international and domestic goals while protecting civil liberties.
      1. Americans debated policies and methods designed to expose suspected communist within the United States even as both parties supported the broader strategy of containing communism.

Tips for using this module in your classroom

Resources

Documentary Clip

As students watch the film clip, have them record notes on:

  • How did the fall of Saigon impact the South Vietnamese people?
  • How did American troops support their South Vietnamese allies?

Interview transcripts: Daniel Flanagan, Tom Glenn, David Hyson, Paul Jacobs


Close Reading Primary Source Analysis

Read the 1988 interview of General Frederick C. Weyand .
  • Identify the author and date of the source. Is this a primary or secondary source?
  • What perception did many Americans have about U.S. soldiers after the fall of Saigon?
  • How does General Weyand believe the U.S. military performed in the Vietnam War? Cite TWO specific pieces of evidence.
  • Why is the author’s point of view important to consider in this source?
Read the 1994 New York Times article .
  • Identify the author and date of the source. Is this a primary or secondary source?
  • How did the end of the Vietnam War lead to changes in both Vietnam AND the United States? Cite at least THREE examples from the text.
Read the New York Times article, “20 Years After Victory, Vietnamese Communists Ponder How to Celebrate ,” from April 23, 1995.
  • Identify the author and date of the source. Is this a primary or secondary source?
  • What impact did the war in Vietnam have on the Vietnamese people?
  • What long-term changes in Vietnam came about after the fall of Saigon? Cite THREE specific examples from the text.
Read The Atlantic article, “The Vietnam War, as Seen by the Victors ,” from April 2015.
  • Identify the author and date of the source. Is this a primary or secondary source?
  • What impact did the war in Vietnam have on the Vietnamese people?
  • What long-term changes in Vietnam came about after the Fall of Saigon? Cite THREE specific examples from the text.