last days of the Vietnam war
 

Hard to believe it has been 40 years, I am old enough to remember when it happened.

Politico has an excellent series of photos from inside the Ford administration, none of which I had ever seen, definitely worth checking out:

http://www.politico.com/magazine/gal...7.html?hp=t4_r

some samples:

1. receiving bad news:

http://images.politico.com/global/20...am_14_1160.jpg

2. briefing by the CIA:

http://images.politico.com/global/20...am_16_1160.jpg

3. after making the decision to evacuate:

http://images.politico.com/global/20...am_28_1160.jpg

. 4 Kissinger announces the evacuation is done ( notice Cheney and Greenspan in the back, Rumsfeld in the foreground )
http://images.politico.com/global/20...am_38_1160.jpg

4. turns out 11 marines had been left behind. Ford gets an update:

http://images.politico.com/global/20...am_48_1160.jpg

5. celebrating after the evacuation is complete:

http://images.politico.com/global/20...am_49_1160.jpg

Sobering thoughts. Not only was I there, but by the time those pictures were taken I had been out for five years. :dead:

These look like stills from a movie now. I was still in high school then.

Just like Korea...
 

I don't recall there ever being a formal declaration of war on North Viet Nam.:hmmm:

I spent my entire cognitive youth hearing the news reports from the police action that was Viet Nam. I turned eighteen and signed up for the draft right at the very end of it. :timeout:

All those pictures of those murderers row bastards up there that I'd just as soon forget about.:-?

This is the first time I've seen president Ford.
This thread I mean.

Most people don't remember the rather colorless Ford without the obligatory bandage.

http://pyxis.homestead.com/Ford.jpg

I don't think any thread would be complete without that iconic image:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ert-van-es.jpg

Poor sods, imagine being at the end of that queue and not making it, knowing what was coming.

Then, of course, that moment when you have more helicopters than you can fit on your flat-top:

http://baltimorepostexaminer.com/wp-...07-600x310.jpg

Wonder how many choppers are sitting on the bottom there. :hmmm:

So sad. What a waste for everyone.

Well, at least we found out what a fun place Thailand can be. :03:

I remember watching the news reports/updates every night on tv, even used the Vietnam War as the theme for my O-level history subject.

In the decades since, the Hanoi Hilton has been supplemented by the Hanoi KFC.

https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3315/3...dac_z.jpg?zz=1

Maybe the ghosts of Ho Chi Minh and LBJ are sitting in a booth in back eating wings, comparing notes and wondering how that massive, internecine conflict eventually paved the way for a mere Colonel to cash in.

And a suthern' Colonel at that.

Hey Hey LBJ, How many hot wings you eaten today? :O:

Hey, Hubert don't bogart that drumstick.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CDqTkU-OJT...eating+BBQ.png

Way too many! one 'uv em' 'winged' me back!:O:http://www.corbisimages.com/images/C...b-e3bf466b6a8e http://www.art-for-a-change.com/LBJ/...etnam_scar.gif:up:

Why dose LBJ get so much blame? It was part of the game plan long before he was in the hot seat.