Vietnamese
On the open seas, Vietnamese refugees had to confront brutal forces of nature and elude pirates. They traveled in rickety boats, most of which were not intended for navigating open waters. The lucky ones were rescued by freighters and taken to Hong Kong. The unlucky ones faced a dangerous two–week journey. The plight of the boat people became an international humanitarian crisis. Image courtesy the Department of Defense
The American War
In 1964 the United States Congress gave President Lyndon B. Johnson legal power to wage war in Vietnam. At the time there were only 603 Vietnamese living in the United States. Most of them were diplomats or students on temporary visas.
The war, known in Vietnam as the American War, raged on for another 10 years until the U.S. and South Vietnamese forces were defeated by the North Vietnamese. The last remaining U.S. troops and government officials were removed by helicopter from the U.S. Embassy on the morning of April 30, 1975. For many South Vietnamese who had supported the United States, the choice was to suffer certain persecution under the victorious government of Ho Chi Minh or to leave their homeland for the United States or another friendly country.
Fleeing Vietnam
Well-connected Vietnamese were air-lifted from Saigon to U.S. military bases, but most left Vietnam by boat. Generally the boats were coastal fishing vessels, not designed for long sea voyages. The hope among these Vietnamese "boat people" was that they would be rescued by freighters, especially American ships. Many perished during these dangerous operations. Still, thousands escaped. About 130,000 Vietnamese refugees gained U.S. residency in 1975.