Black April

The Fall of South Vietnam, 1973-75

De: George J. Veith

Narrado por: Malcolm Hillgartner

The defeat of South Vietnam was arguably America's worst foreign policy disaster of the twentieth century. Yet a complete understanding of the endgame—from the January 27, 1973 signing of the Paris Peace Accords to South Vietnam's surrender on April 30, 1975—has eluded us.

Black April addresses that deficit. A culmination of exhaustive research in three distinct areas: primary source documents from American archives, North Vietnamese publications containing primary and secondary source material, and dozens of articles and numerous interviews with key South Vietnamese participants, this book represents one of the largest Vietnamese translation projects ever accomplished, including almost one hundred rarely or never seen before North Vietnamese unit histories, battle studies, and memoirs. Most important, to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of South Vietnam's conquest, the leaders in Hanoi released several compendiums of formerly highly classified cables and memorandum between the Politburo and its military commanders in the south. This treasure trove of primary source materials provides the most complete insight into North Vietnamese decision-making ever complied. While South Vietnamese deliberations remain less clear, enough material exists to provide a decent overview.

©2012, 2013 George J. Veith (P)2022 Tantor

Best book on the fall of South Vietnam

I have been waiting for a book about this topic. It is a great in depth analysis on why the communists won the war. It’s hard to believe this actually happened. It is probably only 4.5 stars but I want to make sure this book is listened to by as many people as possible.
Narrator was good but some Vietnamese words were probably off but that’s to be expected.

OUTSTANDING AND NEEDED!

Listening to this book confirmed everything I was told by my Dad (2 tours in Vietnam, Marine Officer). It turns the stomach to hear how the Dem Congress allowed South Vietnam to collapse. While what Congress did or more accurately did not do turns the stomach it does not detract from the bravery the South Vietnamese exhibited in a hopeless contest with a foe who was being supplied with ANYTHING and more that they needed. ONLY the South Vietnamese were required to abide by the sham Paris "peace accords" again thanks to a feckless US Congress. The Dems should certainly be proud of their "accomplishments" in the 70s; caused the fall of South Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Iran, Nicaragua and nearly El Salvador. America showed itself to be an "ally" in name only. READ or LISTEN to this well written and tragic book.