US Leaves Vietnam + 50 Years Open Thread

Direct U.S. combat involvement in the Vietnam War ended 50 years ago today. The Orange Lady has a spiffy graphic charting troop deployment levels and support for the war, but sadly I can’t find a direct link to it. The war itself did not end 50 years ago today, despite some misleading information you might hear. Fifty years ago today U.S. leaders still had some hope for some settlement with the North Vietnamese government; that didn’t happen. The war actually ended with the Fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975.

Not 50 years ago today.

And the end of the war, of course, came waves of refugees — some (including South Vietnamese leaders) by plane or helicopter airlift to Clark AFB in the Philippines; many others, over the next two decades, by dangerous boat journeys to other countries and territories in the region. Some of the boat people were picked up by U.S. ships; others were taken by pirates. All in all, about 800,000 refugees landed in other countries; about half to a quarter that many tried and died.

Within the U.S., 39% of the Vietnamese refugees ended up in California (Texas was next with 13%, mostly in Houston’s Harris County); the primary destination was of course here in OC, with the San Jose area and LA being next.

We’re open to remembrances of these events by refugees, their descendants, U.S. servicemembers, anti-war activists, and others who wish to record them.

For those wishing to talk about something else, here’s an article about how the Disney Corporation has outwitted Ron DeSantis in Florida. We of course wish Disney every success in its struggle against the Meatball, but wish them only fair treatment here in OC — a prospect that they seem to find completely terrifying.

This is your latest Open Thread. Commenters, stay within reasonable bounds of Dignity, Discretion, and Decorum!

About Greg Diamond

Somewhat verbose attorney, semi-disabled and semi-retired, residing in northwest Brea. Occasionally ran for office against jerks who otherwise would have gonr unopposed. Got 45% of the vote against Bob Huff for State Senate in 2012; Josh Newman then won the seat in 2016. In 2014 became the first attorney to challenge OCDA Tony Rackauckas since 2002; Todd Spitzer then won that seat in 2018. Every time he's run against some rotten incumbent, the *next* person to challenge them wins! He's OK with that. Corrupt party hacks hate him. He's OK with that too. He does advise some local campaigns informally and (so far) without compensation. (If that last bit changes, he will declare the interest.) His daughter is a professional campaign treasurer. He doesn't usually know whom she and her firm represent. Whether they do so never influences his endorsements or coverage. (He does have his own strong opinions.) But when he does check campaign finance forms, he is often happily surprised to learn that good candidates he respects often DO hire her firm. (Maybe bad ones are scared off by his relationship with her, but they needn't be.)