North Vietnam Attacks: Ban Mê Thuột Falls
North Vietnamese forces launched a surprise attack on Ban Me Thuot, the capital of Dak Lak province in the Central Highlands of South Vietnam, on March 10, 1975. The garrison was overwhelmed within 24 hours. President Nguyen Van Thieu ordered a withdrawal from the highlands to consolidate defenses along the coast, but the retreat turned into a catastrophic rout. Tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians fled south along Route 7B in a panicked exodus that became known as the 'Convoy of Tears.' North Vietnamese forces pursued and destroyed the retreating columns. The fall of Ban Me Thuot shattered South Vietnam's defensive strategy and convinced Hanoi that total victory was achievable. Within seven weeks, North Vietnamese forces had swept through the country, capturing Hue, Da Nang, and finally Saigon on April 30. The speed of the collapse stunned both sides and ended twenty years of American involvement in the conflict.
March 10, 1975
51 years ago
Key Figures & Places
South Vietnam
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North Vietnam
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Saigon
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Ho Chi Minh Campaign
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attack
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Ban Mê Thuột
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1975 spring offensive
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Democratic Republic of Vietnam
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Battle of Ban Me Thuot
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Ho Chi Minh City
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Laos
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Ho Chi Minh trail
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French Union
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