The Fall of Saigon: The Vietnam War 50 Years in Review

by Edward G. Lengel (Narrator)

On April 30, 1975, the Communist capture of the city of Saigon brought an end to more than 20 years of war in Vietnam. The end of the war reunified a divided nation—and changed the course of global politics, military strategy, and international relations for decades to come.

In the six lectures of The Fall of Saigon: The Vietnam War 50 Years in Review, historian Edward G. Lengel takes you back to the final years of the long and complex conflict that ravaged the small Southeast Asian nation of Vietnam and bled disastrously into surrounding countries, altering the region forever. Debates over the war and its aftermath still rage on half a century beyond the tragic moments of its end. As Dr. Lengel reflects on an array of topics—from foreign and domestic policy in the Nixon administration to North Vietnamese negotiating tactics to the evacuation of Saigon and the personal experiences of Vietnamese refugees. In this course, you’ll gain new insight into the factors that have shaped our perceptions of the conflict in Vietnam. You’ll also see how these perceptions still color current debates on everything from freedom of the press and immigration to the limits and extent of presidential power.

As we look back into the past, there are certain moments that stand out clearly as turning points in the course of history. As you trace the events leading up to the dramatic final days of the Vietnam War, The Fall of Saigon will immerse you in one such defining moment of the 20th century—a moment that has left an indelible imprint on our collective memory.

Genres: History, Politics, Audiobook, Nonfiction, War

Audiobook

Published April 24, 2025

About the author

Independent historian, hiker, and voracious reader. As an author, I'm delighted to have reached the stage where I can write purely for personal enjoyment and interest, as my forthcoming works will attest!

Reviews

[Carlex · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent chronological explanation of this war and its implications.

[Kenneth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brief but detailed. Well researched and balanced.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a remarkably excellent summary of the US withdrawal from Vietnam and the collapse of the South Vietnamese government. Didn't dramatize or take overt political positions, and was pretty even-handed overall, but did a great job of describing events which I've never really read about in detail before.

Drawing comparisons with US withdrawal from Afghanistan, the first two times we abandoned the Kurds (1980s and post Gulf War 1) in Iraq, the pull-out from Iraq vs. Vietnam is interesting; seems like a lot of the same factors were at work.

[Lance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short book that tells the history of the Vietnam War in 6 essays. Very balanced account - no political bias or blame aside from what the author (also the narrator) reported from other sources. The accounts of the finals days before Saigon fell are gripping and it’s noteworthy to hear the mood of politicians and the American public at the time about the plight of those refugees who escaped. Anyone interested in the Vietnam war should give this a listen. It may not be heavy on details but the balance it has is its best feature.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25

[Gilbert Stack · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Vietnam War is obviously an extremely complicated subject with deep roots in French imperialism and more than a decade of increasing American intervention. This Great Courses book focuses on what happened after the U.S. withdrew its military forces, although a significant portion of the book focuses on that withdrawal. It is a very good overview of the end of the conflict including the political factors in the U.S. which permitted the fall of the south. It also has a painful chapter on the aftermath of the Fall of Saigon. For anyone interested in the subject, this is a good place to start.

[Alex Shrugged · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good, short review of what happened during the Vietnam War and its aftermath. I disagreed with a few of the author's conclusions but they were minor disagreements. I might be wrong, but I don't think so.

I recommend reading "An American Amnesia: How the US Congress Forced the Surrenders of South Vietnam and Cambodia" by Bruce Herschensohn.

[Cory McQuain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty solid review and analysis of the Fall of Saigon and the end of the Vietnam War with 50 years of hindsight. Good overview of what was going on at home and the ongoing peace talks leading to the end of the war. Not super detailed, but good synopsis of the events and its impact on American foreign policy since.

[Hunter Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

maybe closer to 4-4.5 stars but entertaining and informative along with a healthy dose of the author's opinion (mostly negative) of how things were handled. I do wish it were longer but it does give one a sense of the dread of those last moments and how things were handled and perceived.

[Cristi Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was so much better than I thought it was going to be.