Photos: A look back at the fall of Saigon and the final days of the Vietnam War
The Vietnam War came to an end on April 30, 1975, when North Vietnamese forces captured Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam. The fall of the city marked the end of the South Vietnamese government and decades of conflict.
In the days leading up to the city’s fall, tens of thousands of South Vietnamese civilians desperately tried to flee, including government officials, soldiers and their families, who feared persecution under the incoming communist regime. Almost all American civilian and military personnel were evacuated from Saigon after nearly two decades of war.
Thousands of people hoped to secure a spot on one of the last helicopters out, in what became the largest helicopter evacuation in history. Some of the most unforgettable images from those final days include South Vietnamese soldiers stripping off their uniforms to blend in with civilians, panicked crowds scaling the walls of the U.S. Embassy, and Navy crews pushing helicopters off aircraft carriers into the sea to make room for incoming flights carrying evacuees.
See these powerful scenes and others below:













Poland’s Iga Świątek thrashes American Amanda Anisimova in Wimbledon women’s final
The Polish player emerged victorious after less than an hour of gameplay.
Israeli settlers beat U.S. citizen to death in West Bank
A 21-year-old Florida man was beaten to death by Israeli settlers while visiting family in the West Bank.
FEMA removed dozens of Camp Mystic buildings from 100-year flood map before expansion, records show
Federal regulators repeatedly granted appeals to remove Camp Mystic's buildings from their 100-year flood map, loosening oversight as the camp operated and expanded in a dangerous flood plain.
In Myanmar, a rush for rare earth metals is causing a regional environmental disaster
A drastic increase in unregulated production of rare earth minerals in Myanmar is causing serious environmental concerns downriver in Thailand, as China's influence in the sector looms large.
No playing Spanish-language music: Many immigrants say they have new rules for driving
As the Trump administration's crackdown continues, traffic stops have become increasingly important tools of enforcement. It has led many immigrants to take alternate modes of transportation.
In the Texas flood zone, volunteers help reunite lost pets with their owners
Hundreds of pets have been reported missing after the devastating floods in central Texas. Volunteers have been combing through debris to help reunite them with their owners.