April 30, 1975: Vietnam's Reunification Day

Many nations celebrate the breaking of their colonial yokes by commemorating a day symbolizing their independence. In the dragon-shaped country, the national holiday of September 2 is complemented, in a way, by another date of equal historical and political importance, known as 'Reunification Day.' It is a celebration of April 30, 1975, when American-backed forces were defeated in Saigon. This certainly says something to all United States foreign readers. But today, we invite you to learn more about this momentous event for the Vietnamese, and about the places that recall the bellicose times they suffered.

Written by Thu Giang (Local Expert) Updated on 29-04-2025

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The Liberation of South Vietnam

For 20 years, from 1955 to 1975, Vietnam was a land torn apart by war, a struggle that followed the fight to end French colonial rule. The Vietnam War pitted the communist North, led by Ho Chi Minh, and their southern allies, the Viet Cong, against the U.S.-backed government of South Vietnam.

It all began after the French were defeated in 1954 at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, a remote valley where Vietnamese fighters turned the tide. The Geneva Agreement forced France to leave, splitting Vietnam along the 17th parallel, a temporary border. In the North, Ho Chi Minh’s forces declared independence on September 2, 1945, a day still celebrated as Vietnam’s first national holiday. In the South, the French handed power to the “State of Vietnam,” based in Saigon and led by former emperor Bao Dai.

But by 1955, Bao Dai was pushed aside. Ngo Dinh Diem, a fierce anti-communist backed by the United States, took charge, proclaiming the Republic of Vietnam, better known as South Vietnam. For nearly two decades, these two Vietnams, divided by ideology and armies, fought bitterly for control.

The war, often called the Second Indochina War, was grueling. Northern forces and the Viet Cong slowly gained ground against the U.S. and South Vietnamese armies. By 1973, exhausted and facing growing protests at home, the U.S. signed the Paris Agreement, pulling out their troops. The deal was supposed to let South Vietnam’s government stay in place until elections, but peace didn’t last. The U.S. kept funneling aid to Saigon, fueling the fight.

Everything changed on April 30, 1975. North Vietnamese tanks crashed through the gates of Saigon’s Norodom Palace, now the Reunification Palace. The South Vietnamese government collapsed, and the city fell. For the North, it was the liberation of the South; for others, it was the fall of Saigon. That day, Vietnam’s long dream of unity became reality.

Every year since, April 30 has been a day of celebration across Vietnam, marking the moment the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in the North and the Republic of Vietnam in the South became one: the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. It’s a story of division, struggle, and a people’s unyielding hope for a united future.

Vietnam Today

Fifty years after reunification, Vietnam has risen as a vibrant nation, blending cutting-edge progress with the heartbeat of its ancient culture. Its economy is thriving, fueled by tech exports, bustling trade, and a tourism boom that draws millions to its shores. From the global stage to its lively streets, Vietnam’s story of resilience shines.

Hanoi, the northern capital, hums with scooters and street vendors, its ancient temples standing proud beside sleek skyscrapers. In the south, Ho Chi Minh City, still called Saigon by locals, pulses as a cultural and economic powerhouse, where markets overflow with silk and spice. Halfway between them, Da Nang sparkles with golden beaches and a bold, modern spirit, proving Vietnam’s knack for reinvention.

Travelers roam safely across this land, from misty mountains to emerald rice paddies, discovering a tapestry of history, festivals, and warm smiles. Five decades after its people forged a united Vietnam, the nation stands tall as a place where the past fuels a boundless future.

How Do Vietnamese People Celebrate Reunification Day Each Year?

Reunification Day, or the Day of the Liberation of South Vietnam, is celebrated every year on April 30, one of the country's public holidays. All households must hang the Vietnamese flag in front of their door, and the streets of the city are decorated with colorful banners and lights.

This year, April 30, 2025, marks the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and the Reunification of the country. Many events are planned to celebrate this holiday. If you travel to Vietnam during this period, you will discover a vibrant country, animated by colors and a festive atmosphere. In Ho Chi Minh City, soldiers and militiamen have been training for more than three months for the commemorative parade.

The commemoration is often combined with that of International Labour Day, which takes place the following day (May 1st). These two consecutive days off offer an opportunity for Vietnamese to relax, and also to travel for some. They take the opportunity to spend pleasant moments with loved ones at a seaside resort, for example, or to visit tourist attractions. Meanwhile, the city centers are quieter and are not disturbed by heavy motorcycle traffic.

>>> Related aritlce: Vietnam in April and the best sites to visit

Top Places to Learn About the Vietnam War

• Hoa Lo Prison

Located in the center of Hanoi, very close to the Old Quarter and the Opera House, the former 'Central House' of Hoa Lo Prison is a symbol of the sacrifice and endurance of the prisoners for their nationalist ideals. The Americans have nicknamed this museum 'The Hanoi Hilton'!

Originally, separatists fighting against the colonial French were detained in Hoa Lo. Later, during the conflict with the U.S.-backed South Vietnamese regime from Saigon, American prisoners of war were placed there.

• The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and the 17th Parallel

In Quang Tri Province, the Hien Lương Bridge crosses the Ben Hai River, a quiet stream that once divided Vietnam. Set by the 1954 Geneva Conference, the 17th parallel ran through this bridge, with the Demilitarized Zone, or DMZ, flanking both sides. Its name deceives, for during the Vietnam War, this land roared with some of the conflict’s fiercest battles, leaving scars that linger.

Today, visitors tread softly past monuments to Vietnamese heroes and the crumbling ruins of old U.S. bases. At Khe Sanh Combat Base, a museum holds rusted relics, from helmets to shell casings, each whispering of a brutal past. Sites like the Rockpile, a jagged lookout, Hamburger Hill, scarred by bloody assaults, and the winding Ho Chi Minh Trails tell tales of grit. The Truong Son National Cemetery, with over 10,000 graves, stands as a solemn tribute to fallen soldiers.

Near the DMZ, the Vinh Moc tunnels reveal wartime resilience. Villagers dug this underground maze to escape bombs, living in damp, dark passages where families clung to hope. Crawling through them now, you feel their courage echo. A trip from Hue’s imperial city or a stop en route to Phong Nha’s stunning caves makes the DMZ a haunting yet vital journey into Vietnam’s soul.

• Con Dao Prison

Off Vietnam’s southern coast, far from the bustle of Ho Chi Minh City, lies Con Son Island, the heart of the Con Dao archipelago. Here, the Con Đảo Prison museum stands as a haunting reminder of a brutal past. Its colonial buildings, built by the French in 1861, are both beautiful and chilling>* beautiful and chilling, with stark sculptures that echo the torture and suffering once inflicted on prisoners.

Originally called Poulo Condor and featured in the 1990s film Indochina, the prison held political prisoners under French rule. Later, during the Vietnam War, the South Vietnamese, backed by the U.S., turned it into a grim penal colony. Men and women were crammed into “tiger cages,” tiny cells where they faced brutal torture, starvation, or worse. Walking through the museum today, you’ll feel the weight of their stories in every rusted bar and faded photograph.

Yet Con Son, also known as Con Lon, is no longer just a place of pain. Now a jewel in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, the island draws travelers with its turquoise bays, lush forests, and quiet beaches. Once a remote cage, it’s become a haven where history meets healing. You can explore the prison’s dark corridors in the morning and bask in tropical sunlight by afternoon, marveling at how a land of shadows transformed into a vibrant escape.

• Reunification Palace

In the heart of Ho Chi Minh City, the Reunification Palace stands as a striking relic of war and renewal. Its sleek 1960s design, with airy halls and retro furnishings, feels frozen in time, yet its walls whisper a tragic tale of Vietnam’s divided past.

Built during French colonial days in the 19th century, the palace became the nerve center of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. After the 1963 assassination of President Ngo Dinh Diem, General Nguyen Van Thieu, leader of a military junta, made it his home and command post, steering the South through turbulent years. On April 30, 1975, Northern tanks crashed through its gates, marking the fall of Saigon and the birth of a united Vietnam.

Today, the palace is a must-see in Ho Chi Minh City, drawing travelers to walk its grand rooms, where history lingers in old maps and faded radios. For anyone tracing Vietnam’s story, this is a place where the past feels alive, a testament to a nation’s journey from conflict to peace.

• War Remnants Museum

In Ho Chi Minh City, the War Remnants Museum stands as a powerful testament to the Vietnam War’s brutal legacy. Its halls, filled with relics and stories, draw travelers and history buffs to uncover a conflict that shaped a nation, often revealing truths less known in the West.

Eight permanent exhibitions unfold the war’s story through photos snapped by 134 reporters from 11 countries, alongside tanks, bombs, and rifles that tell of battles fought. You’ll walk past faded documents and maps, each a snapshot of a violent era. One display, both gripping and heartbreaking, reveals the devastation of Agent Orange, a chemical that scarred generations with illness and loss, its images lingering long after you leave.

Another haunting exhibit recreates the “tiger cages” of Con Dao’s prison, where prisoners were crammed into tiny, barbed-wire cells, barely 5 square meters, with no beds or light. These cramped spaces, used to break the spirit of captives, show the war’s cruelty up close. Stepping through the museum, you feel the weight of a nation’s scars, yet also its strength in facing the past.

>>> Related article: Top 10 Ho Chi Minh City's Museums & Historical Sites

• Cu Chi Tunnels

If you're interested in the history of the Vietnam War, you can't leave the country without visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels. An easy Cu Chi day trip from Saigon offers a fascinating insight into the guerrilla actions carried out by the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong against the U.S. Army and its southern allies. You can also discover the underground life of the soldiers and inhabitants of the region during the Vietnam War.

The site consists of a labyrinth of underground galleries stretching for more than 250 km in total. There were hatches, living spaces, kitchens, storage facilities, command centers, hospitals, and even schools.

• Phu Quoc Prison

The island of Phu Quoc – off the southeastern coast of Cambodia is renowned for its many paradisiacal beaches, but not only. It is also a destination steeped in the history of the Vietnam War, traces of which can still be seen in what has been preserved from the former penal colony. This place, where thousands of people were imprisoned and tortured in terrible conditions, is a testament to the turbulent, often dark, past of the S-shaped country.

Also known as the 'Coconut Tree Prison,' this war museum now houses authentic instruments of torture, photographs of former detainees, and other displays of brutal punishments. The penal colony takes its name from the village where it was built and from the trees that grow everywhere in Phu Quoc. It was built by the French in 1949, shortly before their departure, and was expanded by the Americans during the Vietnam War.

It is estimated that 40,000 political and military opponents, French and then Americans, were detained there. Most of those who survived and were released after the two wars developed physical and mental disabilities as a result of the violence they suffered there. Learn more about Phu Quoc island.

Conclusion

The fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975, has become a landmark event in world history, constituting one of the most glorious victories of the twentieth century. This day has since been commemorated as the 'Day of Liberation' or 'Reunification Day' by the Vietnamese, as well as by many foreigners who see this date as a symbol of peace and justice. The Vietnam War had a major impact because of the millions of people who were victims of it. During a trip to the country, visiting sites that recall some aspects or episodes of this painful past allows you to experience unforgettable moments.

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