1. AMERICAN SOURCES
1.1 Archival and Primary Source Documents
Central Intelligence Agency. “Assessment of the Current Military Situation in South Vietnam.” 9 August 1974.
_______. “Communist Military and Economic Aid to North Vietnam, 1970-1974.” 1 January 1975.
_______. “Imports of Military Equipment and Materials by North Vietnam.” 10 January 1975.
_______. “Likelihood of a Major NVA Offensive in South Vietnam before the End of the Current Dry Season (31 May 1974).” 18 December 1973.
_______. National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) 53/14.3-73: “Short-Term Prospects for Vietnam.” 12 October 1973.
_______. NIE 53/14.3-2-73: “Short-Term Prospects for Vietnam.” 8 November 1973.
_______. NIE 53/14.3-1-74: “The Likelihood of a Major North Vietnamese Offensive against South Vietnam.” 23 May 1974.
_______. NIE 53/14.3-2-74: “Short-Term Prospects for Vietnam.” 12 December 1974.
_______. NIE 53/14.3-3-75: “Assessment of the Situation in South Vietnam.” 27 March 1975.
_______. “South Vietnam: A Net Military Assessment.” 2 April 1974.
Defense Attaché Saigon. “RVNAF Final Assessment, Jan thru Apr FY75.” 15 June 1975.
_______. “Monthly Intelligence Survey and Threat Analysis (MISTA).” April 1973-March 1975.
_______. “Weekly Wrap-up of South Vietnam.” 4 March–11 April 1975.
Foreign Broadcasting Information Service. Daily Report: Asia and Pacific. January 1973-Current.
General Research Corp. “Interviews and Debriefings of Refugees from Southeast Asia.” McLean, Va. U.S. Army Center for Military History, vols. I, II, III, and IV. 1975. Joint Publication Research Service. Vietnam. January 1973-December 1990.
Murray, John, Major General, U.S. Army (Ret). Personal papers provided to the author by MG Murray, including backchannel messages, diary of events, and assorted articles.
National Archives and Record Administration. Record Group 59, General Records of the Dept. of State, The Office of Vietnam Affairs, Vietnam Working Group, Subject Files 1963-1975, Boxes 21-27.
_______. Record Group 59, General Records of the Dept. of State, Central Foreign Policy Files, 1973-1975, “Access to Archival Databases,” http://aad.archives.gov/aad/index.jsp.
_______. Record Group 59, General Records of the Dept. of State, Central Foreign Policy Files, Subject Numeric Files 1970-1973.
_______. Record Group 342, Records of U.S. Air Force Commands, Activities, and Organizations, Series: Mixed Files Relating to Various U.S. Air Force Combat Operations and Other Activities in the Vietnam War Era, 1961-1977, Box 400, March and April 1975.
_______. Record Group 472, Records of U.S. Forces in S.E. Asia, Records of the Defense Attaché Office, Saigon, Records Relating to the Fall of Saigon, Boxes 1-4.
_______. Record Group 472, Office of the Special Assistant to the Ambassador for Field Operations.
Nixon, Richard M. Richard M. Nixon Presidential Library, College Park, Md. Smith, Homer, Major General, U.S. Army (Ret.). “End of Tour Report.” 30 May 1975.
_______. Memorandum for General Kerwin: “What happened to the RVNAF.” 11 August 1975.
_______. “The Final Forty-Five Days in Vietnam.” U.S. Army Center for Military History, Washington, D.C. 22 May 1975.
_______. “They Did Not Lose Their Will to Fight.” U.S. Army Center for Military History, Washington, D.C. 15 July 1975.
Texas Tech University, Archive of the Vietnam Conflict, Lubbock, Tex. Pike, Douglas. Indochina Collection, Unit I, Assessment and Strategy; Unit II, Military Operations; and Unit IV, Political Settlement.
The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training Foreign Affairs, Oral History Project. Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Interview with Wolfgang Lehmann. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/diplomacy/.
U.S. Embassy, Saigon. “Communist Guidance on ‘New Phase of the Revolution’ in South Vietnam.” Vietnam Documents and Research Notes #117. April 1974.
_______. “COSVN Directive 03.” Vietnam Documents and Research Notes #115. September 1973.
U.S. Navy Historical Center. “Transcripts: Interviews and Debriefings of VNN Officers.” Operational Archives Branch, Washington Naval Yard. 1975.
Weyand, Fred C., General. “Vietnam Assessment Report, 4 April 1975.”
1.2 BOOKS
Ahern, Thomas L. CIA and the Generals: Covert Support to Military Government in South Vietnam. Washington, D.C.: Central Intelligence Agency, n.d.
Butler, David. The Fall of Saigon. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1985.
Dawson, Alan. 55 Days: The Fall of South Vietnam. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1977.
Dunham, George R., and David A. Quinlan. U.S. Marines in Vietnam: The Bitter End, 1973-1975. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Marine Corps, 1990.
Engelmann, Larry. Tears before the Rain: An Oral History of the Fall of South Vietnam. New York: Oxford University Press, 1990.
Haley, P. Edward. Congress and the Fall of South Vietnam and Cambodia. Madison: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 1982.
Hanyok, Robert J. Spartans in Darkness: American SIGINT and the Indochina War, 1945-1975. National Security Agency: Center for Cryptologic History, 2002.
Hickey, Gerald Cannon. Free in the Forest: Ethnohistory of the Vietnamese Central Highlands. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1982.
Hosmer, Stephen T., Konrad Kellen, and Brian M. Jenkins. The Fall of South Vietnam: Statements by Vietnamese Military and Civilian Leaders. New York: Crane, Russak, 1980.
Isaacs, Arnold R. Without Honor: Defeat in Vietnam and Cambodia. New York: Vintage Books, 1983.
Kissinger, Henry. Ending the Vietnam War: A History of America’s Involvement in and Extraction from the Vietnam War. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2003.
_______. Crisis: The Anatomy of Two Major Foreign Policy Crises. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2000.
Le Gro, William E. Vietnam from Cease-Fire to Capitulation. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Army Center for Military History, 1981.
McNamara, Francis Terry, with Adrian Hill. Escape with Honor: My Last Hours in Vietnam. Washington, D.C.: Brassey’s, 1997.
Metzner, Edward P. Reeducation in Postwar Vietnam: Personal Postscripts to Peace. College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 2001.
Momyer, William W. The Vietnamese Air Force, 1951-1975: An Analysis of its Role in Combat. Washington, D.C.: USAF Southeast Asia Monograph series, vol. III, monograph 4, Office of Air Force History, 1985.
Nguyen Tien Hung and Jerrold Schecter. The Palace File. New York: Harper & Row, 1986.
Nixon, Richard M. RN: The Memoirs of Richard Nixon. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1978.
_______. No More Vietnams. New York: Arbor House, 1985.
Schwarz, George W., Jr., April Fools: An American Remembers South Vietnam’s Final Days. Baltimore: AmErica House, 2001.
Snepp, Frank. Decent Interval: An Insider’s Account of Saigon’s Indecent End, Told by the CIA’s Chief Strategy Analyst in Vietnam. New York: Random House, 1977.
Willenson, Kim. The Bad War: An Oral History of the Vietnam War. New York: NAL Penguin, 1987.
1.3 Articles, Papers, and Dissertations
Parker, Maynard. “Vietnam: The War That Won’t End,” Foreign Affairs 53 (January 1975): 351-374.
Pribbenow, Merle L. “North Vietnam’s Final Offensive: Strategic Endgame Nonpareil.” Parameters 29, no. 4 (Winter 1999-2000): 58-71.
Quinn-Judge, Paul. “Inside Saigon: Eye-Witness Report.” Commonweal, 26 (September 1975): 429-432.
Timmes, Charles J., Major General, U.S. Army (Ret.). “Military Operations after the Cease-Fire Agreement, Part 1.” Military Review (August 1976): 63-75.
_______. “Military Operations after the Cease-Fire Agreement, Part 2.” Military Review (September 1976): 21-29.
Tonnesson, Stein, and Nguyen Vu Tung and James G. Hershberg. 77 Conversations between Chinese and Foreign Leaders on the Wars in Indochina, 1964-1977. Working Paper #22. Washington, D.C.: Cold War International History Project, 1998.
Williamson, Bill Alan. “America and the Debate over Aid to South Vietnam: January-April 1975.” Thesis, University of North Texas, 1996.
2. NORTH VIETNAMESE SOURCES
2.1 Unit Histories and Other Books Published in Vietnamese
“320th Infantry Division’s Pursuit Attack against Enemy Forces on Route 7 at Cheo Reo from 17 to 19 March 1975.” In Mot So Tran Danh Cua Cac Don Vi thuoc Binh Doan Tay Nguyen, Tap III [A Number of Battles Fought by Units of the Central Highlands Corps, vol. III]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 1995.
35 Nam Duong Ho Chi Minh Tren Bien va Thanh Lap Lu Doan 125 Hai Quan [35th Anniversary of the Ho Chi Minh Trail at Sea and of the Formation of the Navy’s 125th Brigade]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 1996.
“Attack on Retreating Enemy Force at Cheo Reo (Central Highlands), 17-25 March 1975.” In Nhung Tran Danh Cua Phao Binh Vietnam Trong Cac Cuoc Chien Tranh Giai Phong va Bao Ve To Quoc, Tap II [Battles of Vietnamese Artillery during the Wars of Liberation and to Defend the Fatherland, vol. II]. Hanoi?: Artillery Command, 1990.
“Attack on the City of Tuy Hoa by 320th Division, 1 April 1975.” In Mot So Tran Danh Trong Cuoc Khang Chien Chong Phap, Chong My, 1945-1975, Tap I [A Number of Battles in the Resistance War against the French and the Americans, 1945-1975, vol. I]. Hanoi: Military History Institute of Vietnam, 1991.
Binh Doan Cuu Long [The Mekong Group]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 1989. History of the 4th Corps.
Binh Doan Quyet Thang [The Determined-To-Win Corps]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 1988. History of the 1st Corps.
Buon Ma Thuot: Tran Danh Lich Su [Ban Me Thuot: A Historic Battle]. Darlac: Darlac Province Party Historical Research Subcommittee, 1990.
Chi Dan Duong Bo Viet Nam (Mat—Luu Hanh Noi Bo) [Guide to Vietnam’s Roads (Secret—Internal Distribution Only)]. Dalat: Transportation Department of the General Rear Services Department, 1980.
Chien Dich Hue-Danang (Xuan 1975) [The Hue-Danang Offensive Campaign (Spring 1975)]. Hanoi: Military History Institute of Vietnam, 1991.
Chien Dich Tay Nguyen 1975 [1975 Central Highlands Campaign]. Hanoi?: Military History Sub-Institute of the High-Level Military Studies Institute, 1981.
Chien Dich Tien Cong Tay Nguyen, Xuan 1975 [Central Highlands Offensive Campaign, Spring 1975]. Hanoi: Military History Institute of Vietnam, 1991.
Chung Mot Bong Co: Ve Mat Tran Dan Toc Giai Phong Mien Nam Viet Nam) [Under One Flag: The National Liberation Front of South Vietnam]. Ho Chi Minh City: National Political Publishing House, 1993.
Dai Thang Mua Xuan, 1975: Van Kien Dang [Vietnam Communist Party: Great Spring Victory 1975: Collected Party Documents]. Hanoi: National Political Publishing House, 2005.
Le Duan. Thu Vao Nam [Letters to the South]. Hanoi: Su That Publishing House, 1985.
Lich Su Bien Nien Xu Uy Nam Bo Va Trung Uong Cuc Mien Nam (1954—1975) [Historical Chronicle of the Cochin China Party Committee and the Central Office for South Vietnam, 1954—1975]. Hanoi: National Political Publishing House, 2002.
Lich Su Binh Chung Thiet Giap, Quan Doi Nhan Dan Viet Nam 1959—1975 [History of the Armor Branch, People’s Army of Vietnam 1959–1975]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 1982.
Lich Su Bo Doi Truong Son Duong Ho Chi Minh [History of the Annamite Mountain Troops on the Ho Chi Minh Trail]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 1994.
Lich Su Hai Quan Nhan Dan Viet Nam [History of the People’s Navy of Vietnam]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 1985.
Lich Su Khong Quan Nhan Dan Viet Nam (1955–1977) [History of the People’s Air Force (1955–1975)]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 1993.
Lich Su Nghe Thuat Su Dung Phong Khong Trong Chien Dich (1945—1975) [History of the Art of Utilizing Air Defense in Combat Campaigns (1945–1975)]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 1996.
Lich Su Quan Chung Phong Khong, Tap III [History of the Air Defense Service, vol. III]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 1994.
Lich Su Quan Doan 2 (1974—1994) [History of the 2nd Corps (1974—1994)]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 1994.
Lich Su Saigon-Cho Lon-Gia Dinh Khang Chien (1945-1975) [History of the Resistance War in Saigon-Cho Lon-Gia Dinh (1945-1975)]. Ho Chi Minh City: Ho Chi Minh City Publishing House, 1994.
Lich Su Su Doan 5 [History of the 5th Division]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 1995.
Lu Doan 202 [The 202nd Brigade]. Hanoi: 1st Corps Publishing House, 1984.
Luc Luong Chong Phan Dong: Lich Su Bien Nien (1954-1975) [Anti-Reactionary Forces: Chronology of Events (1954-1975)]. Hanoi: Public Security Publishing House, 1997.
Mien Dong Nam Bo Khang Chien (1945-1975), Tap VIII [The Resistance War in Eastern Cochin China (1945-1975), vol. VIII]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 1993.
Mien Trung Toan Thang: Dai Thang Mua Xuan 1975 (Qua Nhung Trang Hoi Uc) [Central Vietnam Wins Total Victory: The 1975 Great Spring Victory (Through the Memoirs of Participants)]. Hanoi: Encyclopedia Publishing House, 2005.
Mot So Van Kien Chi Dao: Tong Tien Cong Va Noi Day Mua Xuan Nam 1975, Chien Dich Ho Chi Minh [A Number of Guidance Documents for the Spring 1975 General Offensive and Uprising and the Ho Chi Minh Campaign]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 2005.
Phao Binh Nhan Dan Vietnam, Tap II [People’s Artillery of Vietnam: vol. II]. Hanoi: Artillery Command, 1986.
Quan Khu 8: Ba Muoi Nam Khang Chien (1945-1975) [Military Region 8: 30 Years of Resistance (1945-1975)]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 1998.
Quan Khu 9: 30 Nam Khang Chien (1945-1975) [Military Region 9: 30 Years of Resistance (1945-1975)]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 1996.
Su Doan 2, Tap I [2nd Division, vol. 1]. Danang: Danang Publishing House, 1989.
Su Doan 7: Ky Su [7th Division: A Record]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 1986.
Su Doan 9 [9th Division]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 1990.
Su Doan 10: Binh Doan Tay Nguyen [10th Division: Central Highlands Corps]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 1987.
Su Doan 303 [The 303rd Division]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 1989.
Su Doan 304, Tap II [304th Division, vol. II]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 1990.
Su Doan 316, Tap II [316th Division, vol. II]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 1986.
Su Doan 324 [324th Division]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 1992.
Su Doan 325, Tap II [325th Division, vol. II]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 1986.
Su Doan 968 [968th Division]. Quang Tri: The 968th Division and the Quang Tri Province Information Bureau, 1990.
Su Doan Dong Bang (Binh Doan Tay Nguyen), Tap Ba [The Lowlands Division (Central Highlands Corps), vol. three]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 1984. History of the 320th Division.
Su Doan Sao Vang [The “Yellow Star” Division]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 1984. History of the 3rd Division.
Su Doan Song Lam [The Lam River Division]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 1984. History of the 341st Division.
Van Kien Dang, Toan Tap, Tap 34, 1973 [Collected Party Documents, vol. 34, 1973]. Hanoi: National Political Publishing House, 2004.
Van Kien Dang, Toan Tap, Tap 35, 1974 [Collected Party Documents, vol. 35, 1974]. Hanoi: National Political Publishing House, 2004.
Van Kien Dang, Toan Tap, Tap 36, 1975 [Collected Party Documents, vol. 36, 1975]. Hanoi: National Political Publishing House, 2004.
Ve Dai Thang Mua Xuan Nam 1975 Qua Tai Lieu Cua Chinh Quyen Sai Gon [The 1975 Great Spring Victory through Sai Gon Government Documents]. Hanoi: National Political Publishing House, 2010.
2.2 Memoirs Published in Vietnamese
Bui Tin, Hoa Xuyen Tuyet [Flowers through the Snow] (Irvine, Calif.: Human Rights Publishing House, 1991).
Dam Van Nguy, with Le Minh Huy and Duong Duy Ngu. Di Mot Ngay Dang [The Farther You Travel]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 1994.
Dang Vu Hiep, in cooperation with Le Hai Trieu and Ngo Vinh Binh. Ky Uc Tay Nguyen [Highland Memories]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 2000.
Hoang Cam, as told to Nhat Tien. Chang Duong Muoi Nghin Ngay [The Ten-Thousand Day Journey]. 2nd ed. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 2001.
Hoang Dan. Nhung Dieu Dong Lai Qua Hai Cuoc Chien Tranh [Things Accumulated during Two Wars]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 2005.
Hoang Minh Thao. Chien Dau O Tay Nguyen [Fighting in the Central Highlands]. 2nd ed. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 2004.
Le Quang Hoa. Nhung Chang Duong Chong My: Hoi Ky [Steps along the Road of Resistance to the Americans: A Memoir]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 1982.
Nam Ha. Mat Tran Dong Bac Saigon: Ky Su [The Front Northeast of Saigon: A Report]. Ho Chi Minh City: Van Hoc Publishing House, 1978.
Nguyen Huu An, as told to Nguyen Tu Duong. Chien Truong Moi [New Battlefield]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 2002 (Second Printing).
Nguyen Khai. Thang Ba O Tay Nguyen: Ky Su [March in the Central Highlands: A Report]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 1976.
Truong Son [Pham Te, Senior Colonel]. Nhung Nam Thang Soi Dong Nhat Tren Duong Ho Chi Minh [The Most Feverish Years on the Ho Chi Minh Trail]. Ho Chi Minh City: Ho Chi Minh City Publishing House, 1994.
Vo Chi Cong. Tren Nhung Chang Duong Cach Mang (Hoi Ky) [On the Road of Revolution (A Memoir)]. Hanoi: National Political Publishing House 2001.
Xuan Thieu. Bac Hai Van, Xuan 1975: Ky Su [North of the Hai Van Pass, Spring 1975: A Report]. Hanoi: People’s Army Publishing House, 1977.
2.3 Articles Published in Vietnamese
Bao Chan. “The Spy without a Secret Code Number.” Nguoi Lao Dong (27 April 2006).
Ho De. “The Road into the City Was Not Covered with a Red Carpet.” Quan Doi Nhan Dan (29 April 2006).
Hung Tan. “Blocking Attack in the Cheo Reo Valley.” Quan Doi Nhan Dan (23 March 2007).
Huynh Chanh. “The General Staff and the 1975 Central Highlands Campaign.” Quan Doi Nhan Dan (24 March 2006).
Le Duc Anh. “The Final Phase of the War.” http://www.vietnamnet.vn/psks/2006/04/565983/. Accessed on 4 May 2006.
Le Duc Tho. “Comrade Le Duc Tho Discusses a Number of Issues Related to Reviewing the War and Writing Military History.” Tap Chi Lich Su Quan Su 3, no. 27 (1988): 4-9.
Le Huu Duc. “Developing the Plan to Liberate South Vietnam in Two Years.” Quan Doi Nhan Dan (12-15 March 2005).
Manh Viet. “Meeting with a ‘Viet Cong’ Who Once Had a Face-to-Face Meeting with the U.S. President at the Pentagon.” Tien Phong (14 February 2007).
Thanh Do. “Regarding the First Tank to Reach Independence Palace: We Still Must Give Tank 843 This Honor!” Nhan Dan (2 May 2003).
Thanh Xuan. “Intelligence Warrior H3 Inside the Puppet Joint General Staff.” Quan Doi Nhan Dan (27 July 2006).
Vu Van Mao. “The Battlefield Exploits of Military Intelligence Personnel: The Central Highlands Campaign.” Quan Doi Nhan Dan (20-21 March 1995).
2.4 Books and Articles Published in English
Dao Van Xuan, Colonel. “In the Spring 1975 General Offensive and Uprising—Tank-Armored Troops in Strategic Group Offensives.” Tap Chi Quan Doi Nhan Dan, June 1976. Translated in JPRS SEA-67912.
Ho Ding Nhuong. “The Invisible Star of the Milky Way—True Story of Pilot Nguyen Thanh Trung.” Vietnam Courier (January 1976), 16-18.
Hoang Minh Thao, Major General. The Victorious Tay Nguyen Campaign. Hanoi: Foreign Language Publishing House, 1979.
———. “Ex-Central Highlands Commander Recounts Buon Me Thuot Battle.” Translated in JPRS SEA-80692.
Hoang Van Huan. A Drop in the Ocean. Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 1988.
Hoang Van Thai. The Decisive Years: Memoirs of Senior General Hoang Van Thai. Washington, D.C.: JPRS-SEA-87-084, 23 June 1987.
“Letters to the South.” Vietnam Social Sciences, vols. 1 and 2 (1989): 129-147.
Minh Hai. “Offensive and Uprising to Liberate the Mekong Delta.” Tap Chi Quan Doi Nhan Dan, April 1976. Translated in JPRS SEA-67798, Erratum in 67909.
Pham Cuong. “In the General Offensive and Uprising of 1975: Some Experiences in Assuring the Mobility of the Military Engineer Forces,” Quan Doi Nhan Dan (December 1976). Translated in JPRS SEA-69017.
Pham Xuan The. “That Was How the Saigon Cabinet Surrendered.” Vietnam Social Sciences 2, no. 24 (1990): 107-115.
“Secret CPV Politburo Documents on the Liberation of the South, Part 1.” Vietnam Social Sciences 2, no. 46 (1995): 110-120.
“Secret CPV Politburo Documents on the Liberation of the South, Part 2.” Vietnam Social Sciences 3, no. 47 (1995): 108-117.
Tran Tho. “In the General Offensive and Uprising of 1975: Some Successful Lessons of the Rear Services Task.” Quan Doi Nhan Dan (October 1976). Translated in JPRS SEA-68570.
Tran Van Tra. Vietnam: History of the Bulwark B-2 Theatre. Vol. 5, Concluding the 30-Year War. Washington, D.C.: JPRS-SEA-82-783.
Van Tien Dung. Our Great Spring Victory: An Account of the Liberation of South Vietnam. Translated by John Spragens Jr. Hanoi: The Gioi Publishers, 2000.
Victory in Vietnam: The Official History of the People’s Army of Vietnam, 1945-1975. Translated by Merle L. Pribbenow. Lawrence: University of Kansas Press, 2002.
Vo Nguyen Giap and Van Tien Dung. How We Won the War. Philadelphia: Recon Press, 1976.
_______. The General Headquarters in the Spring of Decisive Victory (Memoirs). Hanoi: The Gioi Publishers, 2002.
3. SOUTH VIETNAMESE SOURCES
3.1 Books Published in Vietnamese
Diep My Linh. Hai Quan Viet Nam Cong Hoa Ra Khoi, 1975 [The South Vietnamese Navy Sails, 1975]. Texas: Self-published, 1990. History of the VNN efforts to evacuate military and civilian personnel from I and II Corps.
Ha Mai Viet. Thep Va Mau: Thiet Giap Trong Chien Tranh Viet Nam [Steel and Blood: Armor in the Vietnam War]. Sugarland, Tex.: Self-published, 2005. A senior officer of the 25th Division interviews various ARVN officers on their recollections of the final days.
Ho Van Ky Thoai. Can Truong Trong Chien Bai: Hanh Trinh Cua Mot Thuy Thu [Valor in Defeat: A Sailor’s Journey]. Centerville, Va.: Self-published, 2007. Thoai was the Navy commander in I Corps, and his book mainly details the fall of that region.
Le Thuong. Su Doan 2 Bo Binh: Giai Doan Cuoi Cung cua Cuoc Chien, Hoi Ky [The 2nd Infantry Division: The Final Phase of the War, a Memoir]. Los Angeles: Self-published, 2001. The 2nd Division chief of artillery describes the final days.
Le Van Phat. “I Was Trapped in Khanh Duong.” In Lich Su Ngan Nguoi Viet [History Written by Thousands], edited by Nguyen Chu. San Jose: Doi, 1990. The 3rd Airborne Brigade commander describes the battle of the M’Drak Pass and the retreat to Phan Rang.
Ngo Van Xuan. “A Number of Events behind the Fighting on the Central Highlands Front in 1975.” In Nhung Bien Co Can Duoc Ghi Lai [Events That Need to Be Recorded]. Edited by Trinh Tieu. Sacramento: Association of Former Vietnamese Political Prisoners, 1996. The commander of the 44th Regiment, 23rd Division, describes the failed counterattack at Ban Me Thuot.
Nguyen Duc Phuong. Chien Tranh Vietnam Toan Tap: Tu Tran Dau (Ap Bac, 1963) Den Tran Cuoi Cung (Sai Gon, 1975) [The Vietnam War Collection: From the First Battle (Ap Bac, 1963) until the Last (Saigon, 1975)]. Toronto: Lang Van Publishing, 2001.
Nguyen Duy Hinh. “Commander’s Diary, Part 2.” Su Doan 3 Bo Binh (Phan Thu Hai va Ba) [3rd Infantry Division (Parts Two and Three)]. Edited by Giao Chi. San Jose: Tin Bien, 2003. The wartime diary of the 3rd Division commander.
Pham Ba Hoa. Doi Dong Ghi Nho [My Memoir]. Garden Grove, Calif.: Self-published, 1998. The deputy chief of logistics describes the actions of the JGS and Lieutenant General Dong Van Khuyen during the final days.
Pham Huan. Cuoc Triet Thoai Cao Nguyen 1975 [The Withdrawal from the Central Highlands, 1975]. San Jose: Self-published, 1987. Huan was a journalist and Army officer assigned to Major General Phu’s staff to write a memoir of the general. He recorded the events of the fall of II Corps.
_______. Nhung Uat Han Trong Tran Chien Mat Ngoc, 1975 [Bitterness and Injustice during the Loss of Our Nation, 1975]. Garden Grove, Calif.: Self-published, 1988. Huan’s broader description of the final days, including interviews with participants.
Trinh Tieu. “Why Was Ban Me Thuot Lost Even though We Knew Beforehand That the Enemy Was Going to Attack the City?” In Nhung Bien Co Can Duoc Ghi Lai [Events That Need to Be Recorded]. Edited by Trinh Tieu. Sacramento: Association of Former Vietnamese Political Prisoners, 1996. The II Corps G-2 (intelligence officer) reflects on the intelligence that led him to believe that PAVN would attack Ban Me Thuot.
Truong Duong. Doi Chien Binh [The Life of a Soldier]. Garden Grove, Calif.: Tu Quynh, 1998. An Airborne officer describes the various battles of the Airborne Division from 1972 to 1975.
3.2 Articles Published in Vietnamese
The following articles were culled from general-interest journals and from magazines of the various branches of the South Vietnamese armed forces.
Cam Ranh [pseud.]. “7th Marine Battalion and 147th Brigade: The Last Days of March on the Hue Battlefield.” Song Than [Tidal Wave] (2004): 175-180. Account of the attempted evacuation of the 7th Battalion and 147th Brigade from I Corps.
Dam Huu Phuoc. “Phuoc Long: The Wound That Never Heals.” Airborne Ranger 3 (2001): 26-31. A medical officer with the elite 81st Airborne reflects on the effort to support the beleaguered defenders in Phuoc Long province.
Dinh Hung Cuong. “The Last Battle of Thua Thu, Long An Province.” KBC 25 (1998): 15-18. The Thua Thu district chief provides an account of the early April fighting in Long An.
Ho Dinh. “The Xuan Loc Front.” KBC 15 (1991): 100-106. A former 18th Division officer outlines the battle in April 1975.
Le Quang Luong. “The Angels in Red Berets—Who Has Been Lost, and Who Survived.” Doi (1982). The Airborne Division commander provides a blistering critique of Thieu and the break-up of his division.
Le Quang Oanh. “22nd Division’s Withdrawal from Binh Dinh.” KBC 13 (1992): 41-48. A staff officer describes the chaos on the Qui Nhon beaches.
Mach Van Truong. “21st Infantry Division at Can Tho on the Day the Nation Was Lost.” The Gioi 394 (18 April 2003): 14-20. The 21st Division commander provides an excellent account of the fighting in IV Corps in April 1975.
Muong Giang. “Regional and Popular Force Troops during the Final Days in Binh Thuan Province.” KBC Hai Ngoai 16 (April 2003): 53-59. An account by an RF officer; the last days in Phan Thiet and Ham Tan.
Ngo Quang Truong. “Why I Abandoned I Corps.” Doi (1982). The I Corps commander provides his only public statement on what happened in the north.
Nguyen Phan. “From a Bitter Time.” Mu Nau 1 (1994): 127-135. The S-3 (operations chief) of the 30th Ranger Battalion, 31st Ranger Group, details the tough fighting at Chon Thanh.
Nguyen Thanh Chuan. “Military Region III Rangers during the Last Days of April 1975.” Mu Nau [Brown Beret] 1 (1994): 41-48. The III Corps Ranger commander describes the retreat from An Loc, the fighting in Chon Thanh, and the final days of the III Corps Rangers.
Nguyen Trong Luat. “Looking Back at the Battle of Ban Me Thuot, 1975.” KBC 21 (1995): 21-34. The Darlac province chief recounts the battle of Ban Me Thuot, and his capture.
Nguyen Van Dinh. “1st Airborne Brigade during the Final Days in South Vietnam.” Vietnam Moi 180 (29 April 2000). The 1st Airborne commander provides an excellent description of the battles in Xuan Loc, the retreat on Route 2, and the final battle for Ba Ria and Vung Tau.
Phan Van Duong. “Unforgettable Days—The 5th Marine Battalion.” Song Than (1998): 201-205. An account of the destruction of the 5th Marines written by one of the company commanders.
Phan Van Huan. “81st Airborne Ranger Group and the Days of April 1975.” Airborne Ranger 3 (2001): 7-16. The commander of the most elite ARVN unit describes the last efforts of his outfit, including the final march into saigon to surrender.
Pham Van Tien. “147th Brigade: From a Tactical Withdrawal in 1975.” Song Than (1999): 227-237. Another account of the destruction of the 147th Brigade on the Thuan An beach.
Tran Dinh Vy. “Letter to KBC 4262: Last Days in Binh Dinh Province.” KBC Hai Ngoai 16 (April 2003): 83-85. The Binh Dinh province chief recounts the last days.
Tran Ngoc. “The Final Battle of ARVN’s 81st Airborne Ranger Group on 30 April 1975.” KBC 15 (1994): 24-35. An interview with Major Pham Chau Tai, who commanded the 3rd Task Force, which was defending Tan Son Nhut airbase and the JGS Headquarters on April 30.
Tran Tien San. “The Twenty-Fifth Hour.” Ranger 8 (2003): 5-19. The commander of the 86th Ranger Battalion, 8th Ranger Group, describes the final attacks on his unit.
———. “The 6th Ranger Group and Its Final Days.” Ranger 6 (2002): 76-85. An interview with the 6th Group’s commander, who acted as deputy commander of the II Corps Rangers during the retreat on Route 7B.
Vu Quoc Cong. “The Last Days on the South China Sea: Tender Vinh Long, HQ-802.” Doan Ket (1998): 23-40. The captain of the HQ-802 provides a graphic description of the evacuation attempts by the VNN on the beaches in I Corps.
Vuong Mong Long. “End of the Road: Memoir.” Ranger 20 (May 2007): 87-102. Long recounts the last days of his Ranger battalion.
3.3 Manuscripts
The following papers were written by former South Vietnamese officers to recount their actions or the actions of their units during the final days of the RVN. Many were written at my request.
Hua Yen Len. “The Line of Steel at Xuan Loc (Long Khanh).” (1998.) A description of the battle of Xuan Loc by the 18th Division chief of staff.
Le Ba Binh. “The Battles Fought by 6th Battalion, 258th Marine Brigade, Marine Division, from 20 April 1975 to 30 April 1975 at Ho Nai 1, Ho Nai 2, and the Lo Than [Coal Plant] Intersection in Bien Hoa.” (2003.) A detailed description by the 6th Battalion commander of the vicious fighting at Ho Nai.
Le Qui Dau. “The 21st Ranger Group.” (2003.) The commander describes his attack into Ban Me Thuot, his retreat down Route 21, and the destruction of his unit.
Nguyen Thanh Tri. “Unforgettable Days—The Marine Division in 1975.” (2003.) The deputy commander of the Marine Division tells what happened to the Marines.
Nguyen Thieu. “The Actions of the 41st Regiment, 22nd ARVN Division.” (2004.) The commander describes the valiant fighting retreat of the 41st Regiment to the beaches at Qui Nhon.
Nguyen Thu Luong. “The Battle for Phan Rang (April 1975).” (2000.) The 2nd Airborne Brigade commander describes the final days in Phan Rang, and his eventual capture.
Nguyen Van Loc. “The Story of Naval Vessel HQ-503.” (2002.) The captain of HQ-503 describes the shelling of his ship on 19 April 1975.
Pham Ngoc Sang. “The Battle of Phan Rang: The Recollections of Brigadier General Pham Ngoc Sang.” (2002.) The VNAF 6th Air Division commander recounts the final battle for Phan Rang, and his eventual capture.
Phan Tan My. “The Battle for Horseshoe Hill.” (1998.) The commander of the 3rd Battalion, 52nd Regiment, 18th Division, tells how his unit severely damaged an elite PAVN regiment outside Xuan Loc.
Tran Quang Khoi. “The Activities of the 3rd Armor Brigade during the Final Days of the Vietnam War in the III Corps Area.” (2002.) The commander of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Brigade details the final days.
———. “A Lightning Counterattack of the ARVN 3rd Armor Brigade at Duc Hue.” (2005.)
Vuong Mong Long. “The 82nd Border Ranger Battalion and the Battle of Xuan Loc.” (2001.) One of most respected Ranger officers recounts his harrowing retreat from Quang Duc province, the battle for Xuan Loc, and his refusal to surrender on 30 April.
3.4 Articles and Books Published in English
Bui Diem, with David Chanoff. In the Jaws of History. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1987.
Cao Van Vien. The Final Collapse. Washington, D.C.: Center of Military History, U.S. Army, 1982.
Kiem Do, Captain, and Julie Kane. Counterpart: A South Vietnamese Naval Officer’s War. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1998.
Lam Quang Thi, Lieutenant General. The 25-Year Century: A South Vietnamese General Remembers the Indochina War to the Fall of Saigon. Denton, Tex.: University of North Texas Press, 2002.
Lu Van Thanh. The Inviting Call of Wandering Souls: Memoir of an ARVN Liaison Officer to United States Forces in Vietnam Who Was Imprisoned in Communist Re-education Camps and Then Escaped. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland and Co., 1997
Tran Quang Khoi. “Fighting to the Finish: The Role of South Vietnam’s III Armor Brigade and III Corps Assault Force in the War’s Final Days.” Armor (March/April 1996): 23-27.
Tran Thi Minh Canh. The Book of Canh: Memoirs of a Vietnamese Woman, Physician, CIA Informant, People’s Salvation Army Commander-in-Chief, and Prisoner of War. Milford, Conn.: Self-published, 1996.
Tran Van Nhut. The Unfinished War: The Memoirs of General Tran Van Nhut. Garden Grove, Calif.: Self-published, 2001.
4. FOREIGN SOURCES
British Broadcasting Corporation. Summary of World Broadcasts. Part 3: The Far East. January-April 1975.
Coulthard-Clark, Chris. The RAAF in Vietnam: Australian Air Involvement in the Vietnam War 1962-1975. Canberra: Paul & Co Pub Consortium, 1995.
Todd, Olivier. Cruel April: The Fall of Saigon. Translated from the French by Stephen Becker. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1987.
Warner, Denis. Certain Victory: How Hanoi Won the War. Kansas City, Mo.: Sheed, Andrews, and McMeel, 1978.