mid+20th+century+group+5+a+South+Vietnam+falls+to+Communism+(1975)

=South Vietnam Falls to Communism (1975)=

Overview
After the Tet-Offensive of 1968, opponents of the Vietnam War gained the upper hand on the U.S. The effect of the anti-war legislation, combined with Nixon's credibility collapse as a result of the Watergate scandal, stripped any Presidential authority to act in Southeast Asia. In August 1974, exhausted by the cascading Watergate scandal and facing impeachment, President Nixon resigned. His unelected successor Gerald Ford was in no position to challenge the anti-war Congress who now reigned supreme over further events in Southeast Asia. With Congress in the hands of war opponents, reflecting the mood of the American public, there would be no further intervention to help the anti-Communist governments of South Vietnam.

Critical Issue
At the beginning of 1973, when the Paris Peace Accords were signed ending the U.S. role in Vietnam, South Vietnam looked to be able to handle its government alone. The country's armed forces numbered over 1 million men, armed with the latest U.S. arms and equipment. They had an air force and a navy. But beneath the surface there were many weaknesses. Many of the South Vietnamese military were poorly trained and poorly led. The rapid increase in the size of the Army meant most units were of low quality. Also the government of President Thieu enjoyed only limited support from the long-neglected and abused Vietnamese people and only could keep the government functioning if he had strong U.S. support and funding. Once the U.S. withdrew, and there was not as much funding his support immediately began to weaken. With increase aid from the Soviet Union and the United States out of the picture North Vietnam was ready to re-start an offensive push for South Vietnam. By December 1974, North Vietnam chose a limited attack on Phuoc Long province, almost due north of Saigon on the Cambodian border to test if any American intervention was still possible. South Vietnam was forced to fall back and give up the entire province. Although Thieu made desperate pleas to Washington for help, there was no American response.

The final assault on South Vietnam by the North Vietnamese came in 1975. South Vietnam quickly began to lose battle after battle and ciaos and confusing set in South Vietnam. People began to evacuate as quick as possible with assistance from the U.S. The fate of South Vietnam began to become clear, South Vietnam would soon fall to Communism. By April 27, the North Vietnamese had completely encircled Saigon and began to maneuver for their final assault, which became known as the "Ho Chi Minh Campaign." By the morning of April 30, it was all over. As the North Vietnamese tanks broke through the gates of the Presidential Palace in Saigon, the Vietnam War came ==== to an end and South Vietnam had fallen to Communism.