Saigon, moments of April 30, 1975
Photographer Nguyen Dat's photo series captures historic moments on April 30, 1975. 41 years have passed, but the images on the streets of Saigon that day still make many people remember forever.
"The elderly and passersby all gathered to watch me standing in the middle of the street holding a camera to do a report. I had the word "Reporter" stuck on my chest and back in big letters. Just a few minutes later, the Liberation Army entered on foot," said photographer Nguyen Dat.
The photo series is like a slow-motion film replaying the events of the historic day of April 30, 1975, the day the country was completely unified. The streets of Saigon and the lives of the people at that moment were recorded truthfully. This photo series was presented in the exhibition commemorating the 35th anniversary of the reunification of the South (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2010).
First time seeing the Liberation Army. At around 10am on April 30, 1975, the liberation army from Hoc Mon entered the center of Saigon, passing Truong Minh Giang Street (now Le Van Sy Street), District 3. In front of them were ARVN soldiers taking off their shirts and walking ahead. If the soldiers in the photo from the past could receive this photo, they would be so grateful. |
Portrait of Nguyen Dat on April 30, 1975 |
At 10:30 a.m. on April 30, 1975, ARVN soldiers took off their uniforms but still wore dog tags around their necks and were moving toward the center of Saigon. All of them were children of Vietnamese mothers. |
9:00 a.m. April 30, 1975. ARVN paratroopers stationed in Hoc Mon fled toward the center of Saigon city. |
9:00 a.m. April 30, 1975. ARVN paratroopers from Hoang Hoa Tham - Tan Binh camp fled towards the center of Saigon. |
The last soldier I saw. At 10:30 on April 30, 1975. The ARVN soldiers abandoned their military equipment and guns, but there was one soldier left, holding two M16s in his hands and two M72 anti-tank guns on his shoulders, walking on the road but not knowing where to go? The old people and passersby all focused on me holding a camera standing in the middle of the road doing a report (at that time I had the word “Reporter” stuck on my body in large letters on the front of my chest and on my back). Only a few minutes later, the Liberation Army entered on foot. |
At about 11:00 a.m. on April 30, 1975, on Truong Minh Giang (Le Van Sy) Street, the liberation army advanced from Cu Chi into the city center. |
At about 11:00 a.m. on April 30, 1975, troops entered the center of Saigon from the West via Truong Minh Giang Street, now Le Van Sy, District 3. |
The Liberation Army entered the center of Saigon from Hoc Mon, passing through Truong Minh Giang (Le Van Sy) street at about 10:00 a.m. on April 30, 1975. |
At about 11:00 a.m. on April 30, 1975, the commandos appeared en masse, dressed like Saigon citizens but equipped with AK and P64 guns.
12 o'clock on April 30, 1975 at the gate of Independence Palace, for the first time saw the vehicle that Southern people often call "Moto va" |
At 9:00 a.m. on April 30, 1975, when news of the liberation army entering Saigon was heard, everything related to the Republic of Vietnam was thrown out onto the streets. |
The soldier, shirtless, barefoot, with a piece of cloth (perhaps marked) on his left arm, was walking somewhere. |
At about 10:00 a.m. on April 30, 1975, on Truong Minh Giang (Le Van Sy) Street, soldiers took off their uniforms and were walking towards the city center. The fates of people in wartime |
Behind the jeep was a dead body covered with a blanket. 12 o'clock on April 30, 1975 at the Phu Nhuan intersection in Saigon. |
On Vo Di Nguy Street - Phu Nhuan at 12 o'clock on April 30, 1975 |
At about 1:00 p.m. on April 30, 1975, M113 tanks "abandoned their belongings and ran for their lives". On Chi Lang Street, side gate of Nguyen Thai Hoc Hospital (now Phan Dang Luu Street - Oncology Hospital). |
3:00 p.m. on April 30, 1975 at the Ha Tien - Thu Duc cement factory area (right at the current Hanoi highway toll station). |
At Hang Xanh crossroads on April 30, 1975. |
The hat on April 30, 1975. Taken at Thi Nghe bridge. |
Find the person in the photo. Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the country's reunification, looking back at the photos of the historic day of April 30, 1975. The soldier in the photo was taken at Thi Nghe bridge on May 1, 1975. Where is he now? What is he doing? He is 60 years old this year. Hopefully, through Facebook, he will receive his photo from that day. |
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Morning of April 30, 1975 on Vo Thi Sau Street (old Hien Vuong Street). |
At about 2:00 p.m. on April 30, 1975, people gathered in the Independence Palace area to watch the news. |
The reunion after 21 years. The "Com mang ca" car carrying an old soldier (without a military rank) with 2 guards holding submachine guns scared the neighborhood in Tan Dinh. The person who came at that time was Colonel Le Thien - Ministry of National Defense, looking for his younger brother, musician Le Do and... tears replaced words. The brothers, each on a different side of the battlefield, were now reunited. The nephew standing in front of the car had just been a soldier in the Republic of Vietnam for a few months before liberation. |
Around 3:00 p.m. on April 30, 1975 on Bien Hoa highway, near Thu Duc intersection. |
A moment of relaxation when the situation was under control. Around 12 o'clock on April 30, 1975. At the end of Yen Do Street (Ly Chinh Thang) was Hai Ba Trung, at that time there was an M113 tank parked in front of a house which was a very famous Pho Binh restaurant to this day, many people gathered around but there was no incident so I didn't take a photo, I walked a few dozen meters and took this photo. Later I found out that Pho Binh restaurant was the "Command Center of the Inner City Special Forces" and was later given a revolutionary relic plaque to this day. It was a pity that I didn't take a photo at that time, but it was okay because the film was counted one by one. |
On the afternoon of April 30, 1975, at the intersection of Phan Thanh Gian (Dien Bien Phu) and Tran Quoc Thao. Two soldiers were riding a motorbike but did not know how to change gears. The motorbike kept jumping and then turning off, fumbling around. |
April 30, 1975, met a Jeep carrying foreign reporters. Around 12 o'clock on Hai Ba Trung street. |
Ben Thanh market roundabout looking towards the National Assembly building of the Republic of Vietnam a few days before April 30, 1975. |
Around 2:00 p.m. on April 30, 1975, at the Phu Nhuan intersection. The M48 tank of the ARVN soldiers was left on the road with its guns and ammunition still on board. Some curious young men and children climbed on it and messed around. On the road, there appeared the blue, red, and yellow star Liberation flags attached to the motorbikes of two men moving. |
According to thanhnien.com.vn
