The First Siege Of Saigon
This battle was fought in one of the major cities in the South that the North invaded in the Tet Offensive. They also invaded a second time in which the South ended up losing the whole war. The North chose this city to attack because this is South Vietnam's capitol city. By late January 1968, the soldiers from the South realized that the North were surrounding Khe Sanh and by this time many people where making assumptions that the North was going to invade South Vietnamese cities. On January 21, when the Khe Sanh siege started, more and more people believed that they were sure about the invasion, and sure enough they were right. The first siege of Saigon began on January 30, 1968.
General Giap hoped that he could acheive eight major objectives during this siege and thus crippling the government. They did not achieve these objectives on the first siege, however they did so on the second. These objectives was to: eliminate the key command centers inside Saigon, control all of the communications, seize all the artillary and armor depots, control the Cholon section of Saigon, destroy the Newport Bridge, seize the U.S. Logistics Center, and destroy the air base and field command centers. Without hesitation General Giap sent troops into Saigon to attack while the U.S. sent their troops to aid the South, thus for 38 days this battle progressed and finally ended on March 7, 1968.
General Giap hoped that he could acheive eight major objectives during this siege and thus crippling the government. They did not achieve these objectives on the first siege, however they did so on the second. These objectives was to: eliminate the key command centers inside Saigon, control all of the communications, seize all the artillary and armor depots, control the Cholon section of Saigon, destroy the Newport Bridge, seize the U.S. Logistics Center, and destroy the air base and field command centers. Without hesitation General Giap sent troops into Saigon to attack while the U.S. sent their troops to aid the South, thus for 38 days this battle progressed and finally ended on March 7, 1968.
The Fall Of Saigon
On April 30, 1975 the North Vietnamese General Vo Nguyen Giap ordered the NVA to finish what was left of South Vietnam's capitol, Saigon. This was the day when the Vietnam War officailly ended for South Vietnam. It started when tanks began invading Saigon and the communists told the people that every thing will be "fine". The South sent all of their civilians into the jungle in an attempt to keep the southern citizens from harm. Meanwhile, the South's military set up ambushes for the North. Unfortunately, this retreat of civilians into the jungle did not work as many had died.
For several days the North had been violently bringing Saigon to its knees. Decidely the United States had all remaining military troops retreat and evacuations began for all South Vietnamese citizens as they were now pronounced as refugees. Even though many escaped, the death toll was at a high of 100,000 people. To this day Saigon is still controlled by North Vietnam.
For several days the North had been violently bringing Saigon to its knees. Decidely the United States had all remaining military troops retreat and evacuations began for all South Vietnamese citizens as they were now pronounced as refugees. Even though many escaped, the death toll was at a high of 100,000 people. To this day Saigon is still controlled by North Vietnam.