Surrender The Ten Thousand Day War : Season 1 Episode 25

Episode Twenty-five covers the final seven days of the Vietnam war, the battle for Saigon and the surrender of the south. The Norths troops launch a five pronged attack on Saigon. Once Thon Son Nhut airbase is closed by shell fire and the eastern bridges into the city are captured the evacuation begins. Since the airport is closed the only way out is by helicopter from the roofs of the government buildings. The rich Vietnamese had already escaped weeks earlier. All that was left was the government officials and US officials. The US officials order the evacuation by playing a Christmas hymn over the radio which was the signal to evacuate. The North Vietnamese forces make an announcement that they would cease fire to allow all Americans in Saigon to evacuate before they enter the city proper the next day. The US navy had a three aircraft carrier evacuation force off the coast which would take the evacuees away. One of the last US officials was the US Ambassador, a Marine pilot was escorted into his office with a handwritten order from President Gerald Ford that he be taken out in THIS helicopter. Once the evacuation is over, many South Vietnamese army helicopters arrive at the force and make attempts to land on the carriers. They are allowed to land and empty, then are pushed over the side, or ditched in the sea because there is just no more room on the carriers for the aircraft. Hundreds of millions of dollars in perfectly good helicopters are lost. President Ford announces that for Americans, the War is OVER.