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Those Who Stayed: A Vietnam Diary
An American Eyewitness in Vietnam at the End of War and Beginning of Peace
By the end of April 1975 almost all Americans and thousands of terrified Vietnamese had left Saigon, fearing the bloodbath predicted by many if the Communists took over. But Claudia Krich and a few other humanitarian aid volunteers stayed. They had no weapons, no cement barriers, no bomb shelter, and no real safety, but they were determined to remain in the city.
Those Who Stayed is Claudia Krich’s personal first-hand account of the collapse of the South Vietnamese government and the beginning of the new Provisional Revolutionary Government. Her vivid impressions of those intense, historic days emerge primarily from her journal, capturing the uncertainty, fear, and excitement as the North Vietnamese soldiers arrived. She intertwines personal, sometimes heart-breaking episodes with major historic events.
Several short pieces by others with unusual first-hand knowledge enliven and contextualize the book. Fascinating and unique, engaging and entertaining, Those Who Stayed is the extraordinary story of an adventurous young woman in the right place at the right time to chronicle a vital moment in history.
By the end of April 1975 almost all Americans and thousands of terrified Vietnamese had left Saigon, fearing the bloodbath predicted by many if the Communists took over. But Claudia Krich and a few other humanitarian aid volunteers stayed. They had no weapons, no cement barriers, no bomb shelter, and no real safety, but they were determined to remain in the city.
Those Who Stayed is Claudia Krich’s personal first-hand account of the collapse of the South Vietnamese government and the beginning of the new Provisional Revolutionary Government. Her vivid impressions of those intense, historic days emerge primarily from her journal, capturing the uncertainty, fear, and excitement as the North Vietnamese soldiers arrived. She intertwines personal, sometimes heart-breaking episodes with major historic events.
Several short pieces by others with unusual first-hand knowledge enliven and contextualize the book. Fascinating and unique, engaging and entertaining, Those Who Stayed is the extraordinary story of an adventurous young woman in the right place at the right time to chronicle a vital moment in history.
304 pages, Hardcover
Published April 1, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 26, 2025
I have just finished reading Those Who Stayed : A Vietnam Diary. It is a diary of fear, hope, courage and bravery. Claudia's clear prose makes the journey easy to follow and the historical context appendix tells what happened after Claudia left Vietnam. I highly recommend reading this book to anyone who is interested in Vietnam history.
July 18, 2025
A fascinating, on-the-ground account of life after the "fall" of Saigon. In the States, we feared a bloodbath. But Kritch saw enemies greeting one another for the first time, people feeling free to complain, without fearing their neighbors might be secret police, and a new government forming, it's citizens energized and hopeful.
June 9, 2025
I hope readers will enjoy this unique story of my choice to not flee with the American evacuation. Only a handful of us stayed, and I'm the only one who kept a diary. It's been 50 years since that war ended, but readers tell me this new
book is suspenseful and fascinating to read, and it is timely.
book is suspenseful and fascinating to read, and it is timely.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews