Was Nixon solely to blame for the fall of Saigon?
At 7.53 a.m. on Tuesday 30 April 1975, 50 years ago today, Sergeant Juan Valdez boarded a Sea Knight helicopter sent from aircraft carrier USS Midway that had landed a few minutes earlier on the roof of the US embassy in Saigon. He was the last US soldier to be evacuated from Vietnam. As he scurried to the rooftop, he was aware that some 420 Vietnamese, who had been promised evacuation, were left in the courtyard below. They faced an uncertain fate.
The day before it had been reported to Washington that Saigon Airport was under persistent rocket attack. Escape by airplane became impossible. President Gerald Ford explained: 'The military situation deteriorated rapidly. I therefore ordered the evacuation of all American personnel remaining in Vietnam'.
Back in New York, President Nixon's Secretary of State was not a happy man. A crestfallen Henry Kissinger cancelled his tickets to see Noel Coward's play, Present Laughter.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Edinburgh Live
11 hours ago
- Edinburgh Live
American tourist in Edinburgh cannot believe their luck after 'spotting royalty'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info An American tourist in Edinburgh could not believe their luck as they spotted Princess Anne travelling down steps in the city centre. The royal family member was understood to be on her way to Princes Street Gardens alongside the council's Lord Provost Robert Aldridge on Saturday July 7. The tourist explained how they had missed their tram only to spot the princess as she awaited their next ride. Sharing their discovery on TikTok, account Thistle&Prairie, said: "Missed the Tram in Edinburgh but turned around and saw Princess Anne entering Princes Street Gardens. "Not everyday you see royalty as an American." Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sentstraight to your messages. The Princess Royal was in the capital to unveil a bronze medallion depicting Queen Elizabeth II in the Gardens. The unveiling was attended by many former Royal Scots and their families as well as members of The Royal Scots Club and representatives of the City of Edinburgh Council. A service of dedication was conducted by Reverend Dr Iain May, Chaplain to The Royal Scots Regimental Association. In 2007, Princess Anne unveiled an addition to the monument to mark the Regiment's amalgamation, the final chapter in its history, and to acknowledge and commemorate the Regiment's 373 years of service. Brigadier George Lowder, Chair of the Regimental Trustees, said: ' The Royal Scots have always been, and continue to be, very proud of their long service to Crown and country which is commemorated on this monument. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox "Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the last Sovereign under whom the Regiment served, appointed HRH The Princess Royal to be Colonel in Chief of The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment) in 1983. "We have been greatly honoured, therefore, that The Princess Royal, whose long and continued connection with the Regiment we cherish, has unveiled this final addition to our monument today".
Daily Record
16 hours ago
- Daily Record
Mum left upset after in-laws call her daughters' names 'disgusting'
A mum has taken to the internet to ask for advice after her in-laws said that the names she had chosen for her daughters were 'disgusting' – but she thinks they're normal Choosing a baby name can be a daunting task given the plethora of options available. Parents often strive to select a name that not only appeals to them but will also suit their child as they grow older. The process becomes even more challenging when family members voice their opinions on your chosen names, particularly if they're negative. This was the predicament faced by one mum who took to Reddit to share her in-laws' harsh criticism of her daughters' "normal" names, which they labelled as "disgusting". Posting on the r/namenerds forum, the woman titled her thread 'Have I messed up?' She then shared: "I (29F) have two daughters and my third (which is a baby girl) is due in a week or so, my in-laws are so disapproving of their names. "I believe my daughters have normal names. My MIL said they are disgusting names. My kids are called Natasha and Julia, normal names right? Not according to my family." She continued: "Me and my husband have agreed on Anastasia for our baby girl. And my in-laws hate it. My side of the family is Russian, I grew up in Russia, my name is Melaniya but I go by Melissa since I live in the US. "My husband and I adore Russian names for our children, hence why they all have Russian names. My husband's side of the family says that it is a selfish decision to just be thinking of my own nationality." Seeking opinions, she asked: "What are your thoughts? I genuinely love my children's names but my husband said it is unusual for children in the US to have these names." Many Reddit users rallied around her, affirming that the names were perfectly acceptable and criticising her in-laws' behaviour. One user responded: "These names are not unusual in the US at all. I think the behaviour of your in-laws is what's disgusting here. I'm not sure where your husband grew up that regular names are unusual to him. I wish you didn't have to deal with such awful people." Another chimed in: "Natasha and Julia are both incredibly common American names. Your in laws just hate you." A third agreed: "Don't waste any more energy trying to appease them. There have been two First Ladies of the USA named Julia: Julia Tyler and Julia Grant and the current first lady is Melania. In-laws are just looking for something to be upset about and this is the best they could come up with." While a fourth added: "'Disgusting?' That's so rude no matter what the name is. But honestly I don't understand the fuss at all, these are extremely 'normal' and common names in the US."
Daily Mirror
18 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
'I picked normal names for my daughters but in-laws say they're disgusting'
Choosing a baby name is hard thing to do and it doesn't make it any easier when you have family chiming in with their views, especially if they're negative. This was the case for one mum Picking a baby name is hard thing to do with so many choices out there. Parents often want to pick a moniker that they like, but will also suit their child and will be suitable for them in years to come. It doesn't make it any easier when you have family chiming in with their views on your baby names, especially if they're negative. This was the case for one mum, who has taken to Reddit to share how her in-laws have branded her daughter's names "disgusting", even though she says they're "normal" names. Writing on the r/namenerds forum, the woman titled her post, 'Have I messed up?'. She then wrote: "I (29F)have two daughters and my third (which is a baby girl) is due in a week or so, my in-laws are so disapproving of their names. "I think my daughters have normal names. My MIL said they are disgusting names. My kids are called Natasha and Julia, normal names right? Not to my family." She added: "Me and my husband have agreed on Anastasia for our baby girl. And my in-laws hate it. My side of the family is Russian, I grew up in Russia, my name is Melaniya but I go by Melissa since I live in the US. "My husband and I love Russian names for our children, hence why they all have Russian names. My husbands side of the family says that it is a selfish decision to just be thinking of my own nationality." Asking people for their views, she concluded: What are your thoughts? I genuinely love my children's names but my husband said it is unusual for children in the US to have these names." Many fellow Reddit users assured the woman that the names were fine and slammed the behaviour of her in-laws. One person wrote: "These names are not unusual in the US at all. I think the behaviour of your in-laws is what's disgusting here. I'm not sure where your husband grew up that regular names are unusual to him. I wish you didn't have to deal with such awful people." While another added: "Natasha and Julia are both incredibly common American names. Your in laws just hate you." A third echoed: Agree. Don't waste any more energy trying to appease them. There have been two First Ladies of the USA named Julia: Julia Tyler and Julia Grant and the current first lady is Melania. In-laws are just looking for something to be upset about and this is the best they could come up with." While a fourth added: "'Disgusting?' That's so rude no matter what the name is. But honestly I don't understand the fuss at all, these are extremely 'normal' and common names in the US."
