April 30, 1975: End of U.S. War Against Vietnam

As Jim McIlroy reported for Green Left,

“Saigon liberated! A victory for all humanity,” was the cover headline of Australian socialist publication Direct Action (DA) on May 2, 1975. DA (forerunner of Green Left) joined the worldwide celebrations for the historic victory of the Vietnamese people and the National Liberation Front (NLF) over the United States-backed puppet regime in South Vietnam.

Rallies were organized around the world to celebrate the historic milestone: it was a victory not only for the Vietnamese people, but for the mass, international anti-war movement of the time.

An illuminated plaque marking the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War hangs in the center of Ho Chi Minh City. Ho Chi Minh Stadt, Vietnam. April 19, 2025. Source: Carola Frentzen/dpa/Alamy Live News

Following the signing of the Paris Peace Accords in 1973, the United States withdrew its military forces from Vietnam with the exception of 5,000 diplomats, embassy personnel, and advisors. Throughout March and April 1975, North Vietnamese forces took control of more cities and towns throughout South Vietnam, areas that had been bolstered by strong U.S. support in previous decades. With the successful taking of Saigon, the South Vietnamese capital, the objective of the North Vietnamese — a united Vietnam — was finally achieved. Saigon was renamed “Ho Chi Minh City.”

The U.S. war against Vietnam began in 1945 at the end of World War II, with the U.S. refusal to recognize Vietnam’s independence. Every U.S. president — from Truman through Nixon — waged war on Vietnam. And as the Pentagon Papers demonstrate, each of these presidents lied about it.

During that 30-year period, the United States was the richest, most powerful empire in world history. And yet it was defeated by the resistance of the Vietnamese and anti-war movements here and around the world. It is a lesson all our students should learn: People have the power to successfully resist the wealthy and powerful.

Additional Resources

The 50th Anniversary of the Viet Nam Victory from the Freedom Archives, with newly digitized audio clips, pamphlets, magazines, and a short film featuring the perspectives and experiences of Vietnamese freedom fighters, examples of international solidarity, and materials documenting the days and weeks following the 1975 victory.

Check out other Freedom Archives digital resources about the Vietnamese victory, including an interactive timeline focused on the history of anti-colonial struggle.