The historic event known as the Fall of Saigon occurred on April 30, 1975. On this date, South Vietnamese president, Duong Van Minh, declared his nation’s unconditional surrender to the Vietcong. On the previous day, United States troops—previously defending the city against the Vietcong advance—withdrew completely from the city, allowing the Vietcong victory to be assured.

In an attempt to avoid any additional violence, Minh—speaking on a radio broadcast—appealed directly to the Vietcong authorities when he said, "We are here to hand over to you the power in order to avoid bloodshed."

Shortly after his announcement, Vietcong troops entered the city with little opposition. Tanks crashed through gates and stormed the presidential compound and, within minutes, the war that had been raging for decades finally and abruptly came to an end.

Saigon was immediately renamed Ho Chi Minh City. A statement by the Provisional Revolutionary Government, or PRG, in Paris, promised a policy of non-alignment, and the peaceful reunification of Vietnam.