On this day 44 years ago, the last remaining American combat troops pulled out of Vietnam, ending direct U.S. military involvement in the conflict. It was a momentous occasion that marked the culmination of years of conflict and controversy surrounding America's role in Southeast Asia.
The last U.S. combat troops leave South Vietnam as Hanoi frees the remaining American prisoners of war held in North Vietnam. It was a bittersweet moment for many, as the war had taken a heavy toll on both the Vietnamese people and American soldiers.
Even as the president was telling the public that Kabul was unlikely to fall, intelligence assessments painted a grimmer picture. The decision to withdraw troops from Vietnam was not made lightly, and the consequences of that decision would be felt for years to come.
Many Americans of a certain generation had a sense of forboding and déjà vu at images of panicked civilians flooding the airport and the chaotic scenes unfolding in Vietnam. The memories of the war and its aftermath were still fresh in the minds of many, and the withdrawal of American troops brought back painful memories for some.
In 1973, the last United States combat troops left South Vietnam, ending America's direct military involvement in the Vietnam War. It was a moment of relief for many Americans who had grown weary of the conflict and its toll on both the soldiers and the country as a whole.
The blame game has begun over who lost Afghanistan. The fact is, President Joe Biden and his predecessor, Donald Trump, were both eager to bring an end to America's longest war. The decision to withdraw troops from Vietnam was not an easy one, and the repercussions of that decision would be felt for decades to come.
'How many more American lives is it worth?' asks the president, amid growing criticism over the move. The decision to withdraw troops from Vietnam was a contentious one, with many questioning the cost of American lives and resources that had been poured into the conflict.
Q&A with Jack Weinstein, who was a colonel in the US Air Force on 9/11, about President Biden's decision to withdraw all US troops from Vietnam. The decision to withdraw troops from Vietnam was a complex one, with many factors at play and no easy answers.
For almost thirty years, by means financial, military, and diplomatic, the United States tried to prevent Vietnam from becoming a Communist stronghold. The decision to withdraw troops from Vietnam marked the end of an era in American foreign policy and military strategy.
