1. Grim Options: President Ford and the Fall of Saigon
Elizabeth Druga, Archivist
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum
Truman Library Teachers Conference
July 20, 2017

2. Ford Visits Saigon – Asian Inspection Tour, August 1953
“During our visit we had full and complete briefings on the military picture and made careful checks on the past and planned end-use of the military supplies being furnished by Uncle Sam. The American Ambassador filled us in on the political picture which is complicated by the varied problems resulting from the desire or the local people to achieve full independence from the French at the earliest possible date.” – Your Washington Review, September 3, 1953

3. Congress must exert every effort to urge the Executive to seek a just and honorable solution for southeast Asia and give our assurance that we will back up any decision based upon just and honorable terms, no matter how difficult they may be.
Representative Gerald R. Ford, June 1, 1964
Statement on the U.S. Military Situation in Southeast Asia entered into the Congressional Record

4. International Conference on Vietnam, Paris, France, March 2, 1973

5. Meeting with South Vietnamese Ambassador Tran Kim Phoung on President Ford’s First Day in Office, August 9, 1974

6. Henry Kissinger Secretary of State since September 1973
National Security Adviser since 1969
Negotiated Paris Peace Accords, signed in January 1973, with Le Duc Tho

7. President Nguyen Van Thieu
President of South Vietnam since 1965
Formerly a general in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN)
Photo credit: David Hume Kennerly

8. Ambassador Graham Martin
U.S. Ambassador to South Vietnam since 1973
Stationed at U.S. Embassy in Saigon
Previously served as U.S. Ambassador to Thailand ( ) and Italy ( )

9. General Fred Weyand U.S. Army Chief of Staff
Last commander of U.S. military operations in the Vietnam War,
Sent to Vietnam by President Ford to assess situation in March 1975
Photo credit: David Hume Kennerly

10. David Hume Kennerly Personal Photographer to the President
Covered the Vietnam War as a photographer for UPI and Time
1972 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography portfolio included Vietnam War photographs
Accompanied General Weyand on trip to Vietnam in March 1975

11. Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Standing committee of the U.S. Senate responsible for leading foreign policy legislation
Bipartisan group chaired by John J. Sparkman (D-Alabama)
Had not requested a meeting with the President since the Wilson Administration

12. Other Advisers to President Ford
James Schlesinger
Secretary of Defense
William Colby
Director of Central Intelligence
General George Brown
Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
General Brent Scowcroft
Deputy National Security Adviser

13. Document Analysis and Discussion
Who is the adviser?
When is the adviser communicating with President Ford?
How is the adviser communicating with President Ford?
What recommendations does the adviser make?

14. January-March, 1975
January: North Vietnamese forces capture the province of Phuoc Long
Mid-March: North Vietnam launches a major offensive
March 26: The Foreign Assistance and Related Program Appropriation Act of allows for an estimated $300 million in economic aid to South Vietnam
March 28-April 4: At President Ford’s request, General Weyand and David Hume Kennerly travel to Vietnam to assess the situation
March 30: Da Nang falls to the North Vietnamese
Photo credit: David Hume Kennerly

15. April 1-15, 1975
April 3: Evacuation of Vietnamese orphans (“Operation Babylift”) begins
April 5: General Weyand and Kennerly report to President Ford
April 9: President Ford meets with the National Security Council to discuss additional aid to South Vietnam and evacuation
April 10: President Ford addresses a Joint Session of Congress and requests $722 million in military aid for South Vietnam
April 14: President Ford meets with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee

16. April 16-30, 1975
April 18: Secretary Kissinger orders Ambassador Martin to reduce American personnel in Saigon to 1,250 by April 22
April 21: President Thieu resigns
April 22: The Department of Justice waives restrictions allowing up to 130,000 refugees from Indochina to enter the U.S.
April 28 (U.S.)/ 29 (Vietnam): With North Vietnamese forces attacking Tan Son Nhut airport outside Saigon, President Ford orders the final evacuation
April 29 (U.S.) / 30 (Vietnam): Evacuation of Americans and Vietnamese allies from Saigon concludes and North Vietnamese forces capture the city

17. Elizabeth Druga
Archivist
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
1000 Beal Avenue
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
(734)
Barbara McGregor
Education Specialist
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum
303 Pearl Street NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
(616)
Contact information

18. Sometimes you just need a puppy.
Or lots of puppies.