Sunday, March 16, 1975. Withdrawing from the Central Highlands.

The ARVN began to withdraw from the Central Highlands.  Senior officers left by helicopter, leaving combat troops to retreat under fire, with fleeing civilians, on Route 7B.

180,000 ARVN troops began the journey, only 60,000 would complete the retreat.  Vietnamese Rangers rallied to protect those retreating, with only 900 out of 7,000 surviving.  Mass desertions began.

The NVA was surprised by the ARVN collapse and had been planning on the war continuing on inot 1976.

Last edition: 

Saturday, March 15, 1975. Abandoning Buôn Ma Thuột and Huế.

Labels: 1970s, 1975, Growing up in the 1970s, National Geographic, Vietnam (Buôn Ma Thuột), Vietnam (Huế), Vietnam War