Military history

Saigon Has Fallen

Saigon Has Fallen

“Peter Arnett is the best reporter of the Vietnam War.” —David Halberstam, Journalist and Historian

In this intimate and exclusive remembrance on the 40th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon, celebrated Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Peter Arnett tells the story of his role covering the controversial Vietnam War for The Associated Press from 1962 to its end on April 30, 1975. Arnett’s clear-eyed coverage incurred the wrath of President Lyndon Johnson and officials on all sides of the conflict. Writing candidly and vividly about his gambles and glories, Arnett also shares his fears and fights in reporting against the backdrop of war.

Arnett places readers at the historic pivot-points of Vietnam: covering Marine landings, mountaintop battles, Saigon’s decline and fall, and the safe evacuation of a planeload of 57 infants in the midst of chaos. Peter Arnett’s sweeping view and his frank, descriptive, and dramatic writing brings the Vietnam War to life in a uniquely insightful way for this year’s 40th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon.

Arnett won the Pulitzer Prize in 1966 for his Vietnam coverage. He later went on to TV-reporting fame covering the Gulf War for CNN.

Includes 21 dramatic photographs from the AP Archive and the personal collection of Peter Arnett.

Chapter 1. “SAIGON HAS FALLEN.”

Chapter 2. ASSIGNMENT TO SAIGON

Chapter 3. THE FIRST BIG BATTLE

Chapter 4. TESTS OF FIRE

Chapter 5. REPORTING LBJ’S WIDENING WAR

Chapter 6. “SEARCH AND DESTROY” UP CLOSE

Chapter 7. FIGHTING THE WAR OF WORDS

Chapter 8. NIXON’S BIGGER PICTURE

Chapter 9. FALSE PEACE / FALSE HOPES

Chapter 10. A “SHATTERING” FINAL OFFENSIVE

CONCLUSION: WAR ENDS, BUT VIETNAM STILL CALLS

APPENDIX A: PETER ARNETT: AN ORAL HISTORY

APPENDIX B: ORIGINAL SOURCES

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