What Happened In Vietnam After The Fall of Saigon? (1975–1991)
The forgotten history of modern Vietnam
In 1975, the last Americans in South Vietnam were hurriedly evacuated from Saigon and the surrounding regions ahead of the invading North Vietnamese Army. The pullout marked the official end of American involvement in Vietnam after decades of heartache and headache. It is at this point that the eyes of history turn away from Vietnam, and few people know exactly what happened after the Fall of Saigon. Most people assume that Vietnam unified and settled into a much needed peace. But that is not the case. In fact, Vietnam would be at war for the next sixteen years after the end of the Vietnam War.
Reunification
The first order of business after the Fall of Saigon was officially reunifying the nation. Once North Vietnam won the civil war, they put the country back together. North and South Vietnam finally became one Vietnam once more. This process was smoother than many observers expected. The North did not devolve into killing their political enemies. Instead, a mass movement of people took place.
Nearly a million North Vietnamese moved south into lands that were once under the control of their enemies, South Vietnam. Loyalists were allowed to keep their land, but many pro-American Vietnamese…
