The study of the historical context is essential for any research, devoted to any particular occasion of regional significance. The fact is that, history as a science is not just the collection of facts and dates, but it is the system of events, each having its background and consequences.
In the case of the study of the fall of Saigon, it is necessary to mention, that the research of the historical background would add to the significance of the study, as the objective of the Cold War aggravations are still the burning issues of the history of 20th century. It should be emphasized, that the study of the background and the surrounding circumstances frequently assist in gathering the whole image of the situation, which is of the primary importance for any study, but not just historical.
In the case of the Fall of Saigon, the matter of personal stories may be rather helpful for the thorough study. The personal stories often appear to be rather touching, and help to feel the tragedy of the event. The image of the people, escaping form their own country because of the fear of possible repressions reveals the fact that the Communist powers seemed very cruel and ruthless.
In the conclusion, it is necessary to emphasize, that the books, offered as the central resources for the paper. There is no doubt that the Fall of Saigon had caused a great impact on its citizens. The panic that arose during the Fall of Saigon suggests the impacts on the citizens, as thousands desperately search for ways to flee their country. These two sources make strong accent on the suffering of the people, who lost their homes because of the immense ambitions of two Superpowers.
The lives of the citizens were impacted immensely, they were controlled by the fear, and nothing could stop most of them. The Vietnamese used every opportunity possible to escape from the approaching communist forces: they addressed the US embassy, asked American military forces to take them to the USA. The airports were overfilled, and in order not to overload the plains, people were allowed to take the minimum of the luggage. The mothers, keeping their babies, children and old men getting lost in the crowd… These images are the best for clear realization of the Fall. The sources were aimed to be written in the unprejudiced manner; that is why the emotions, called by the words of the books appear to be deep and original. However, the emotions often interrupt the process of scientific analysis, and often, it is impossible to judge without prejudice. Consequently, the image of the crying baby in the crowd of people fearing the approaching communist forces will outweigh the images of carpet napalm bombing of Vietnamese villages and cities by the American bombers, and the mass slaughters of Vietnamese peasants by American troops. The latter scenes are forgotten, but everyone remembers the fear of being controlled by the communists. Unfortunately, even the thorough study of the context, and playing the “emotion card” do not offer the unbiased and objective evaluation of the facts.
References
Duiker, William J. Vietnam since the Fall of Saigon. Athens, OH: Ohio University, Center for International Studies, 1989.
Fredrick, Cynthia. “The Vietnamization of Saigon Politics.” Bulletin of Concerned Asian Scholars 3.1 (1971): 5-13.
Journey From The Fall, movie review. Web.
McKelvey, R.S. A Gift of Barbed Wire. University of Washington Press. 2002