1975 World Team Tennis season, Playoff match results, WTT Finals
Of the total of 9 playoff matches, home teams won 6 and lost 3. The higher seeds had 5 wins and 1 loss in their 6 home matches. The higher seeds won 4 of the 5 matchups.


1975 World Team Tennis season, Individual statistical leaders
The table below shows the individual players and doubles teams who had the best winning percentages in each of the five events in WTT.


1975 World Team Tennis season, All-Star Match
WTT held its inaugural All-Star Match on July 13, 1975, at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena as part of the evening session of a WTT Spectacular in front of 7,112 fans. The afternoon session drew a crowd of only 1,159. The East defeated the West, 28–21.


1975 World Weightlifting Championships
The 1975 Men's World Weightlifting Championships were held at the Luzhniki Sports Palace in Moscow, Soviet Union from September 15 to September 23, 1975. There were 169 men in action from 33 nations.


1975 World Weightlifting Championships, Medal table
Ranking by all medals: Big (Total result) and Small (Snatch and Clean & Jerk)


1975 World Women's Handball Championship
The 1975 World Women's Handball Championship took place in the Soviet Union between 2-13 December 1975. It was the sixth edition of the World Women's Handball Championship and the first to be held in the Soviet Union.


1975 World Women's Handball Championship
East Germany won their second title after they finished top of the final group ahead of the Soviet Union and Hungary.


1975 World Wrestling Championships
The 1975 World Wrestling Championships were held Minsk, Soviet Union at Minsk Sports Palace. Greco-Roman wrestling competition was held 11–14 September, while freestyle wrestlers competed 15–18 September.


1975 Wyoming Cowboys football team
The 1975 Wyoming Cowboys football team was an American football team that represented the University of Wyoming in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) during the 1975 NCAA Division I football season. In their first year under head coach Fred Akers, the Cowboys compiled a 2–9 record (1–6 against WAC opponents), finished eighth in the conference, and were outscored by a total of 219 to 174. The team played its home games at War Memorial Stadium in Laramie, Wyoming.


1975 XI FIBA International Christmas Tournament
The 1975 XI FIBA International Christmas Tournament "Trofeo Raimundo Saporta" was the 11th edition of the FIBA International Christmas Tournament. It took place at Sports City of Real Madrid Pavilion, Madrid, Spain, on 24, 25 and 26 December 1975 with the participations of Real Madrid (runners-up of the 1974–75 FIBA European Champions Cup), Palmeiras, Arizona State Sun Devils and Estudiantes Monteverde.


1975 Yale Bulldogs football team
The 1975 Yale Bulldogs football team represented Yale University in the 1975 NCAA Division I football season. The Bulldogs were led by 11th-year head coach Carmen Cozza, played their home games at the Yale Bowl and finished in third place in the Ivy League with a 5–2 record, 7–2 overall.


1975 Yale Bulldogs football team
On November 22, 1975, Harvard and Yale entered "The Game" tied for first place with identical 5–1 records. The game was played at the Yale Bowl in front of 66,846 spectators. Yale took a 7–0 lead on a five-yard option run by quarterback Stone Phillips (later known for his work as a television news reporter). Harvard rallied with 10 points in the second half to win the game and become the 1975 Ivy League champion.


1975 Yale Bulldogs football team
The team's statistical leaders included Stone Phillips with 969 passing yards, halfback Don Gesicki with 873 rushing yards and 42 points scored, and split end Gary Fencik (who later played 12 years in the NFL) with 729 receiving yards.


1975 Yale Bulldogs football team
Linebacker John Smoot was the team captain and also received the Ted Blair Award as the team's most valuable player. Eight Yale players received first-team All-Ivy honors: Fencik, Gesicki, Smoot, defensive end Scott Keller, offensive tackle Charlie Palmer, offensive guard Victor Staffieri, punter Mike Southworth, and MB John Cahill.


1975 Yale Bulldogs football team
One Yale player was selected in the 1976 NFL Draft: Gary Fencik by the Miami Dolphins in the 10th round, 281st overall pick.


1975 Zairean parliamentary election
Parliamentary elections were held in Zaire on 2 November 1975. At the time, the country was a one-party state with the Popular Movement of the Revolution (MPR) as the only legally permitted party. Voters approved a single list of 244 MPR candidates. Instead of the "costly and complicated" system of casting ballots, the election took place by "acclaim"; candidates were presented at public locations such as stadiums and the audience approved them by cheering.


1975 Zairean parliamentary election, Results
Of the 244 elected candidates, 217 were men and 27 were women.


1975 Zaliv Scandal
The 1975 Zaliv Scandal was a political scandal in SFR Yugoslavia that began when the summary killing of 12,000 Slovene Home Guard war prisoners by the Yugoslav Communist regime, which occurred in May and June 1945, was publicly discussed and condemned for the first time after World War II in 1975.


1975 Zaliv Scandal, The scandal
The scandal followed after the killings were condemned by Edvard Kocbek in an interview that appeared as a special edition of the journal Zaliv; it was written by two Slovene writers from Trieste, Boris Pahor and Alojz Rebula, and published in Italy. The interview was titled Edvard Kocbek: pričevalec našega časa (Edvard Kocbek: Witness to Our Time) and served as a pretext to launch a massive denigration campaign against Kocbek by the state-controlled Yugoslav media. Kocbek, who lived in Yugoslavia, was put under constant secret service surveillance until his death in 1981. The international pressure on Yugoslavia, especially the intervention of the German writer Heinrich Böll, was probably the main element that protected Kocbek from judicial prosecution.


1975 Zaliv Scandal, The scandal
Boris Pahor and Alojz Rebula, who interviewed Kocbek, were banned from entering Yugoslavia for several years and were only able to enter it to attend Kocbek's funeral.


1975 elections in India
This is a list of elections that happened in India during 1975. This is also the year when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared a state of emergency, one of the consequences of which was the suspension of elections.


1975 elections in India, Rajya Sabha elections
These people were elected and subsequently served from 1975 to 1981.


1975 eruption of Mauna Loa
The 1975 eruption of Mauna Loa was a short-lived Hawaiian eruption that followed 25 years of quiescence at the Hawaiian volcano Mauna Loa. The eruption began just before midnight on July 5 and involved fissures extending across the length of Moku‘āweoweo, Mauna Loa's summit caldera, and into the upper ends of the volcano's northeast and southwest rift zones. After only 6 hours, activity in Moku‘āweoweo and on the southwest rift zone ended, but lava fountaining continued along the northeast rift zone until 7:30 p.m. on July 6, when all activity ceased.


1975 eruption of Mauna Loa, Precursors
No unusual activity was noted on the Mauna Loa seismograms during the early evening of July 5; seismicity was at relatively low levels. At 23:18 HST, however, seismic alarms, signifying prolonged high-amplitude volcanic tremor, were activated in homes of Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) staff. The tremor had been first recorded by three seismometers near Moku‘āweoweo at 22:51 HST. Staff reached HVO at 23:30 HST and saw that harmonic tremor was being recorded on all Mauna Loa and Kīlauea seismographs. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and civil defense authorities were alerted to the imminent probability of a Mauna Loa eruption.


1975 eruption of Mauna Loa, Eruption
At 23:42 HST, a small glow was noted above the southwest end of Moku‘āweoweo. Within one minute the glow extended across the entire summit area and a fume cloud more than 3,300 ft (1,000 m) high was illuminated with a bright orange-red glow from the unseen lava fountains on the caldera floor.


1975 eruption of Mauna Loa, Eruption
A light airplane with two HVO staff members aboard reached the summit area on July 6 at 01:48 HST; a line of lava fountains 66 to 164 ft (20 to 50 m) high crossed the entire floor of Moku‘āweoweo at this time and extended about 0.62 mi (1.00 km) down the southwest rift zone. Lava cascades 300 ft (91 m) high were pouring into three pit craters on the upper southwest rift zone. Lava flows were rapidly advancing to the west and southwest from the southwest rift zone vents.


1975 eruption of Mauna Loa, Eruption
The eruptive fissures extended rapidly northeastward, across North Pit, and into the upper northeast rift zone at 02:25 HST. At 02:45 HST lava from the North Pit vents began cascading into another summit pit crater, Lua Poholo. By 03:15 HST, the lava fountains on the southwest rift zone and within Moku‘āweoweo were waning, and the lava flows moving to the west and southwest had stagnated. Fountains continued to migrate eastward along the northeast rift zone, but by dawn eruptive activity was largely restricted to echelon vents near the northeast rift zone at 12,400 ft (3,800 m) elevation.


1975 eruption of Mauna Loa, Eruption
A voluminous a'a flow moved about 1.2 mph (1.9 km/h) down the north flank of Mauna Loa and threatened to cut the paved access road and powerlines to the Mauna Loa Observatory. At about 07:15 HST, fountains feeding this a'a flow subsided and it soon stopped about 330 ft (100 m) from the observatory road, having traveled 32 mi (51 km). Fountaining continued at greatly diminished levels throughout the day, but ceased by nightfall. Approximately 30,000,000 m3 (1.1×109 cu ft) of lava had been erupted and 13.5 km2 (145,000,000 sq ft) of the Mauna Loa summit area had been covered.


1975 in Afghanistan
The following lists events that happened during 1975 in the Republic of Afghanistan.


1975 in Afghanistan, Events
Domestically, many of the economic difficulties of the previous year continue in areas remote from the capital, with the result that the gap in living standards between Kabul and the more distant provinces widening. Under the energetic guidance of Mohammed Daoud Khan, considerable external help was secured for the construction of oil refineries, fertilizer factories, and various agricultural projects envisaged in the then current five-year plan, both China and the Soviet Union having contributed interest-free loans and technical aid.


1975 in Afghanistan, Events
There were no serious challenges to the president's authority, supported by a regular army equipped with Soviet weaponry, although some spasmodic discontent with the prevalent economic stringency finds expression during the year. In foreign affairs, the government adheres firmly to the traditional policy of accepting external aid but refusing entangling alliances. Improved terms are secured from the Soviet Union for the sale of Afghanistan's natural gas, but this does not prevent equally friendly relations with China. Pakistan's actions against insurgents in Baluchistan and the North-West Frontier Province are bitterly criticized by the government and press in Kabul.


1975 in Afghanistan, Events
The proscription by Pakistan of the National Awami Party, whose activities in Baluchistan and the North-West Frontier Province were favoured by Afghanistan, further worsens relations between the two countries. Daoud Khan's efforts to mobilize international opinion against Pakistan's action meets with a cool reception, however, they also could choose between parliament or the king.


1975 in Afghanistan, April
In April 1975, Daoud paid a visit to Iran, and returned with a credit extension of $2 billion. The majority of the sum - $1.7 billion - was expected to be used to fund the construction of a rail system connecting Herat, Kandahar and Kabul to the Iranian rail system, which could provide access to the Persian Gulf. The project was not realized due to oil price collapse and the subsequent ousting of the Iranian Shah.


1975 in American television
This is a list of American television-related events in 1975.


1975 in American television, Programs
signifies that this show has a related event in the Events section above.


1975 in Australia
The following lists events that happened during 1975 in Australia.


1975 in Australian literature
This article presents a list of the historical events and publications of Australian literature during 1975.


1975 in Australian literature, Births
A list, ordered by date of birth (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of births in 1975 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of death.


1975 in Australian literature, Deaths
A list, ordered by date of death (and, if the date is either unspecified or repeated, ordered alphabetically by surname) of deaths in 1975 of Australian literary figures, authors of written works or literature-related individuals follows, including year of birth.


1975 in Australian television
This is a list of Australian television-related events in 1975.


1975 in Bangladesh
1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1975th year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 975th  year of the 2nd millennium, the 75th  year of the 20th century, and the  6th   year of the 1970s decade.


1975 in Bangladesh
The year 1975 was the 4th year after the independence of Bangladesh. It was also the last year of the first post-independence government in Bangladesh and a year marked with a coups and coup d'état.


1975 in Bangladesh, Economy
Note: For the year 1975 average official exchange rate for BDT was 12.19 per US$.


1975 in Belgian television
This is a list of Belgian television related events from 1975.


1975 in Brazilian football
The following article presents a summary of the 1975 football (soccer) season in Brazil, which was the 74th season of competitive football in the country.


1975 in Brazilian football, Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
3 points for victory by a difference of two or more goals, 2 points for victory, 1 point for draw.


1975 in Brazilian football, Brazil national team
The following table lists all the games played by the Brazil national football team in official competitions and friendly matches during 1975.


1975 in Brazilian television
This is a list of Brazilian television related events from 1975.


1975 in British music
This is a summary of 1975 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.


1975 in British music, Year-end charts, Best-selling albums
The list of the top fifty best-selling albums of 1975 were published in Music Week and in Record Mirror at the end of the year, and reproduced the following year in the first edition of the BPI Year Book in 1976. However, in 2007 the Official Charts Company published album chart histories for each year from 1956 to 1977, researched by historian Sharon Mawer, and included an updated list of the top ten best-selling albums for each year based on the new research. The updated top ten for 1975 is shown in the table below.


1975 in British radio
This is a list of events in British radio during 1975.


1975 in British television
This is a list of British television related events from 1975.


1975 in Cambodia
The following lists events that happened during 1975 in Cambodia.


1975 in Canadian television
The following is a list of events affecting Canadian television in 1975. Events listed include television show debuts, finales, cancellations, and channel launches.


1975 in Cape Verde
The following lists events that happened during 1975 in Cape Verde.


1975 in Chile
The following lists events that happened during 1975 in Chile.


1975 in Croatian television
This is a list of Croatian television related events from 1975.


1975 in Croatian television, Deaths
This Croatian television-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by .


1975 in Danish television
This is a list of Danish television related events from 1975.


1975 in Dutch television
This is a list of Dutch television related events from 1975.


1975 in Estonia
This article lists events that occurred during 1975 in Estonia.


1975 in Estonian television
This is a list of Estonian television related events from 1975.


1975 in German television
This is a list of German television related events from 1975.


1975 in Iceland
The following lists events that happened in 1975 in Iceland.


1975 in India
Events in the year 1975 in the Republic of India.


1975 in Iran
The following lists events that happened during 1975 in Iran.


1975 in Iraq
The following lists events that happened during 1975 in Iraq.


1975 in Irish television
The following is a list of events relating to television in Ireland from 1975.


1975 in Israel, Events, Israeli–Palestinian conflict
The most prominent events related to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict which occurred during 1975 include:


1975 in Israel, Events, Israeli–Palestinian conflict
The most prominent Palestinian Arab terror attacks committed against Israeli targets during 1975 include:


1975 in Israel, Events, Israeli–Palestinian conflict
The most prominent Israeli military counter-terrorism operations (military campaigns and military operations) carried out against Palestinian militants during 1975 include:


1975 in Italian television
This is a list of Italian television related events of 1975.


1975 in Japan
Events from the year 1975 in Japan. It corresponds to Shōwa 50 (昭和50年) in the Japanese calendar.


1975 in LGBT rights
This is a list of notable events in the history of LGBT rights that took place in the year 1975.


1975 in Laos
The following lists events that happened during 1975 in Laos.


1975 in Libya
The following lists events that happened in 1975 in Libya.


1975 in Luxembourg
The following lists events that happened during 1975 in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.


1975 in Malaysia
This article lists important figures and events in Malaysian public affairs during the year 1975, together with births and deaths of notable Malaysians.


1975 in Michigan
The Associated Press (AP) selected the state's top news stories of 1975 as follows:


1975 in Michigan
The AP also selected the state's top sports stories as follows:


1975 in Michigan, Population
In the 1970 United States Census, Michigan was recorded as having a population of 8,875,083 persons, ranking as the seventh most populous state in the country. By 1980, the state's population had grown 4.4% to 9,262,078 persons.


1975 in Michigan, Population, Cities
The following is a list of cities in Michigan with a population of at least 70,000 based on 1970 U.S. Census data. Historic census data from 1960 and 1980 is included to reflect trends in population increases or decreases. Cities that are part of the Detroit metropolitan area are shaded in tan.


1975 in Michigan, Population, Counties
The following is a list of counties in Michigan with populations of at least 120,000 based on 1970 U.S. Census data. Historic census data from 1960 and 1980 are included to reflect trends in population increases or decreases. Counties that are part of the Detroit metropolitan area are shaded in tan.


1975 in Michigan, Music
Albums and singles by Michigan artists or centered on Michigan topics that were released or became hits in 1975 include the following:


1975 in Morocco
The following lists events that happened during 1975 in the Kingdom of Morocco.


1975 in New Zealand
The following lists events that happened during 1975 in New Zealand.


1975 in New Zealand, Incumbents, Government
The 37th New Zealand Parliament continued. Government was by aLabour majority of 55 seats to the National Party's 32 seats. At 29 November election, the allocation of seats for the 38th parliament was reversed and the National Party formed the new government on 12 December.


1975 in New Zealand, Arts and literature, Radio and television
See : 1975 in New Zealand television, 1975 in television, List of TVNZ television programming, Category:Television in New Zealand, Category:New Zealand television shows, Public broadcasting in New Zealand


1975 in New Zealand, Arts and literature, Film
See : Category:1975 film awards, 1975 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, Category:1975 films


1975 in New Zealand television
This is a list of New Zealand television-related events in 1975.


1975 in Norwegian football
The 1975 season was the 70th season of competitive football in Norway.


1975 in Norwegian music
The following is a list of notable events and releases of the year 1975 in Norwegian music.


1975 in Philippine television
The following is a list of events affecting Philippine television in 1975. Events listed include television show debuts, finales, cancellations, and channel launches, closures and rebrandings, as well as information about controversies and carriage disputes.


1975 in Portugal, Arts and entertainment
Portugal participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 1975, with Duarte Mendes and the song "Madrugada".


1975 in Portugal, Sport
In association football, for the first-tier league seasons, see 1974–75 Primeira Divisão and 1975–76 Primeira Divisão; for the Taça de Portugal seasons, see 1974–75 Taça de Portugal and 1975–76 Taça de Portugal.


1975 in Portugal, Sport
Establishment of the Portuguese Handball Women's Cup. Establishment of G.D. Tourizense.


1975 in Rhodesia
The following lists events that happened during 1975 in the Republic of Rhodesia.


1975 in Scottish television
This is a list of events in Scottish television from 1975.


1975 in Sikkim
The following lists events that happened during 1975 in Sikkim.


1975 in Singapore
The following lists events that happened during 1975 in Singapore.


1975 in South Africa
The following lists events that happened during 1975 in South Africa.


1975 in South Korea
The following lists events that happened during 1975 in the Republic of Korea.


1975 in Spanish Sahara
The following lists events that happened during 1975 in Spanish Sahara.


1975 in Swedish football
The 1975 season in Swedish football, starting April 1975 and ending November 1975:


1975 in Swedish television
This is a list of Swedish television related events from 1975.


1975 in Taiwan
This is the current revision of this page, as edited by BHGbot (talk | contribs) at 13:58, 19 June 2020 (WP:BHGbot 6 (List 5): fixed sort key; WP:GENFIXES). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this version.


1975 in Taiwan
Events from the year 1975 in Taiwan, Republic of China. This year is numbered Minguo 64 according to the official Republic of China calendar.


1975 in Thailand
The year 1975 was the 194th year of the Rattanakosin Kingdom of Thailand. It was the 30th year in the reign of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), and is reckoned as year 2518 in the Buddhist Era.


1975 in Turkish television
This is a list of Turkish television related events from 1975.


1975 in Wales
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1975 to Wales and its people.


1975 in Zaire
The following lists events that happened during 1975 in Zaire.


1975 in architecture
The year 1975 in architecture involved some significant architectural events and new buildings.


1975 in association football
The following are the football (soccer) events of the year 1975 throughout the world.


1975 in baseball
The following are the baseball events of the year 1975  throughout the world.


1975 in comics
Notable events of 1975 in comics. See also List of years in comics.


1975 in comics, First issues by title, DC Comics
The Joker: arguably the first regular series to feature a villain.


1975 in comics, First issues by title, DC Comics
Tor: first DC issue, featuring reprints of a Kubert character created in 1953.


1975 in country music
This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1975.


1975 in film, Highest-grossing films, North America
The top ten 1975 released films by box office gross in North America are as follows:


1975 in film, Highest-grossing films, International
The highest-grossing 1975 films in countries outside of North America.


1975 in film, Worldwide gross
The following table lists known worldwide gross figures for several high-grossing films that originally released in 1975. Note that this list is incomplete and is therefore not representative of the highest-grossing films worldwide in 1975. This list also includes gross revenue from later re-releases.


1975 in fine arts of the Soviet Union
The year 1975 was marked by many events that left an imprint on the history of Soviet and Russian Fine Arts.


1975 in games
This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and tabletop role-playing games published in 1975. For video games, see 1975 in video gaming.


1975 in heavy metal music
This is a timeline documenting the events of heavy metal in the year 1975.


1975 in ice hockey
The following is a chronicle of events during the year 1975 in ice hockey.


1975 in ice hockey, Women's hockey
In 1975, the Bishop's Gaiters women's ice hockey team from Sherbrooke, Quebec, hosted the Women's Invitational Hockey Tournament. The 1975 participants included the Loyola Tommies, University of Toronto and Dawson College. The Loyola Tommies captured the championship, defeating Toronto in the final.


1975 in jazz
This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 1975.


1975 in literature
This article contains information about the literary events and publications of 1975.


1975 in motorsport
The following is an overview of the events of 1975 in motorsport including the major racing events, motorsport venues that were opened and closed during a year, championships and non-championship events that were established and disestablished in a year, and births and deaths of racing drivers and other motorsport people.


1975 in motorsport, Annual events
The calendar includes only annual major non-championship events or annual events that had significance separate from the championship. For the dates of the championship events see related season articles.


1975 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1975.


1975 in music, Biggest hit singles
The following songs achieved the highest in the charts of 1975.


1975 in music, Chronological table of U.S. and UK number one hit singles
"Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" – Elton John (2)"Mandy" – Barry Manilow (1)"Please Mr. Postman" – The Carpenters (1)"Laughter in the Rain" – Neil Sedaka (1)"Fire" – Ohio Players (1)"You're No Good" – Linda Ronstadt (1)"Pick Up the Pieces" – Average White Band (1)"Best of My Love" – Eagles (1)"Have You Never Been Mellow" – Olivia Newton-John (1)"Black Water" – The Doobie Brothers (1)"My Eyes Adored You" – Frankie Valli (1)"Lady Marmalade" – Labelle (1)"Lovin' You" – Minnie Riperton (1)"Philadelphia Freedom" – Elton John (2)"(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song" – B. J. Thomas (1)"He


1975 in music, Chronological table of U.S. and UK number one hit singles
Don't Love You (Like I Love You)" – Tony Orlando and Dawn (3)"Shining Star" – Earth, Wind & Fire (1)"Before the Next Teardrop Falls" – Freddy Fender (1)"Thank God I'm a Country Boy" – John Denver (1)"Sister Golden Hair" – America (1)"Love Will Keep Us Together" – Captain & Tennille (4)"Listen to What the Man Said" – Paul McCartney & Wings (1)"The Hustle" – Van McCoy (1)"One of These Nights" – Eagles (1)"Jive Talkin'" – Bee Gees (2)"Fallin' in Love" – Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds (1)"Get Down Tonight" – KC and the Sunshine Band (1)"Rhinestone Cowboy" – Glen Campbell (2)"Fame" – David Bowie (2)"I'm Sorry" – John Denver (1)"Bad Blood" – Neil Sedaka (3)"Island Girl" – Elton John (3)"That's the Way (I Like It)" – KC and the Sunshine Band (2)"Fly, Robin, Fly" – Silver Convention (3)"Let's Do It Again" – The Staple Singers (1)


1975 in music, Chronological table of U.S. and UK number one hit singles
"Lonely This Christmas" – Mud (2 weeks 1974 + 2 weeks 1975)"Down Down" – Status Quo (1)"Ms Grace" – The Tymes (1)"January" – Pilot (3)"Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" – Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel (2)"If" – Telly Savalas (2)"Bye, Bye, Baby (Baby Goodbye)" – Bay City Rollers (6)"Oh Boy" – Mud (2)"Stand by Your Man" – Tammy Wynette (3)"Whispering Grass" – Windsor Davies & Don Estelle (3)"I'm Not in Love" – 10cc (2)"Tears on My Pillow (I Can't Take It)" – Johnny Nash (1)"Give a Little Love" – Bay City Rollers (3)"Barbados" – Typically Tropical (1)"Can't Give You Anything (But My Love)" – The Stylistics (3)"Sailing" – Rod Stewart (4)"Hold Me Close" – David Essex (3)"I Only Have Eyes for You" – Art Garfunkel (2)"Space Oddity" – David Bowie (2)"D.I.V.O.R.C.E." – Billy Connolly (1)"Bohemian Rhapsody" – Queen (5 weeks 1975 + 4 weeks 1976)


1975 in paleontology
Paleontology or palaeontology is the study of prehistoric life forms on Earth through the examination of plant and animal fossils. This includes the study of body fossils, tracks (ichnites), burrows, cast-off parts, fossilised feces (coprolites), palynomorphs and chemical residues. Because humans have encountered fossils for millennia, paleontology has a long history both before and after becoming formalized as a science. This article records significant discoveries and events related to paleontology that occurred or were published in the year 1975.


1975 in paleontology, Paleozoology, Arthropods, Insects
An ant of uncertain phylogenetic placement. Type species C. magna


1975 in paleontology, Paleozoology, Arthropods, Insects
A Sphecomyrminae ant. homonym of Palaeomyrmex Heer. Moved to Dlusskyidris zherichini


1975 in paleontology, Paleozoology, Conodonts
German paleontologist and stratigrapher Heinz Walter Kozur (1942-2013) and G.K. Merrill described the conodont genus Diplognathodus.


1975 in paleontology, Paleozoology, Vertebrates, Dinosaurs
Described in the Dakornithidae, now placed in the Graculavidae,  this is the type species of the new genus.


1975 in paleontology, Paleozoology, Vertebrates, Dinosaurs
A Columbidae, this is the type species of the new genus.


1975 in paleontology, Paleozoology, Vertebrates, Dinosaurs
A Cuculidae, this is the type species of the new genus. Extinct at the start of the 16th century BC


1975 in paleontology, Paleozoology, Vertebrates, Dinosaurs
A Procellariidae, sometimes placed in the genus Pseudobulweria. Extinct after 1502 due to deforestation


1975 in poetry
Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature (for instance, Irish or France).


1975 in poetry, Works published in English
Listed by nation where the work was first published and again by the poet's native land, if different; substantially revised works listed separately:


1975 in poetry, Works published in other languages
Listed by language and often by nation where the work was first published and again by the poet's native land, if different; substantially revised works listed separately:


1975 in poetry, Deaths
Birth years link to the corresponding "[year] in poetry" article:


1975 in professional wrestling
1975 in professional wrestling describes the year's events in the world of professional wrestling.


1975 in radio
The year 1975 saw a number of significant events in radio broadcasting history.


1975 in rail transport
This article lists events related to rail transport that occurred in 1975.


1975 in science
The year 1975 in science and technology involved some significant events, listed below.


1975 in spaceflight
In 1975 several notable events happened in spaceflight such as the launch and arrival at Venus of Venera 9 and 10, the launch to Mars of the Viking orbiter/landers missions, the joint Apollo–Soyuz Test Project, and the launch of satellite Aryabhatta.


1975 in sports
1975 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.


1975 in television
The year 1975 involved some significant events in television. Below is a list of television-related events which happened that year.


1975 in the Philippines
1975 in the Philippines details events of note that happened in the Philippines in the year 1975.


1975 in the United Arab Emirates
The following lists events that happened during 1975 in the United Arab Emirates.


1975 in the Vietnam War
1975 marked the end of the Vietnam War, sometimes called the Second Indochina War or the American War. The North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) launched the Spring Offensive in March; the South Vietnamese Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) was quickly defeated. The North Vietnamese captured Saigon on April 30, accepting the surrender of South Vietnam. In the final days of the war, the United States, which had supported South Vietnam for many years, carried out an emergency evacuation of its civilian and military personnel and more than 130,000 Vietnamese.


1975 in the Vietnam War
At the beginning of the Spring Offensive the balance of forces in Vietnam was approximately as follows; North Vietnam: 305,000 soldiers, 600 armored vehicles and 490 heavy artillery pieces in South Vietnam and South Vietnam: 1.0 million soldiers, 1,200 to 1,400 tanks and more than 1,000 pieces of heavy artillery.


1975 in the Vietnam War
The capital city of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, was captured by the Khmer Rouge on April 17. On December 2 the Pathet Lao took over the government of Laos, thus completing the communist conquest of the three Indochinese countries.


1975 in the Vietnam War, January
In Cambodia, the Khmer Rouge attacked and drove back the government forces near Phnom Penh, the capital city. The Khmer Rouge now controlled 80 percent of the country and soon began attacking Phnom Penh, crowded with refugees, with rockets.


1975 in the Vietnam War, January
The Jackson–Vanik amendment was signed into law in the U.S., its passage was a reason for increased Soviet military aid to North Vietnam as it abrogated secret Nixon administration trade commitments with the Soviet Union.


1975 in the Vietnam War, January
Phước Bình, the capital of Phước Long Province, 120 kilometres (75 mi) north of Saigon, was captured by the PAVN, becoming the first provincial capital controlled by the North Vietnamese. All but 850 of 5,400 South Vietnamese soldiers defending the province were killed or captured. The lack of a military response by the US to the loss of a province persuaded North Vietnam that it could take more aggressive actions.


1975 in the Vietnam War, January
Delegates to a Politburo conference in North Vietnam agreed that the US was not going to intervene militarily in South Vietnam and therefore North Vietnam had the opportunity to "destroy and disintegrate" the South Vietnamese military.


1975 in the Vietnam War, January
The United States Department of State protested that North Vietnam had violated the 1973 Paris Peace Accords by infiltrating 160,000 soldiers and 400 armored vehicles into South Vietnam. North Vietnam had improved the Ho Chi Minh trail, now a network of all-weather roads, through Cambodia and Laos and expanded their armament stockpiles.


1975 in the Vietnam War, January
Asked at a press conference if there were circumstances under which the United States might again actively participate in the Vietnam War, U.S. President Gerald Ford said, "I cannot foresee any at the moment."


1975 in the Vietnam War, January
The last Mekong River supply convoy from South Vietnam arrived in Phnom Penh, five vessels had been destroyed by Khmer Rouge mines and ambushes. Henceforth, Phnom Penh was isolated from any outside assistance except by air, effectively surrounded by the Khmer Rouge.


1975 in the Vietnam War, January
President Ford asked Congress for an additional $522 million in military aid to assist South Vietnam and Cambodia. Ford said that North Vietnam now had 289,000 troops in South Vietnam and large numbers of tanks, artillery and anti-aircraft weapons.


1975 in the Vietnam War, February
PAVN General Văn Tiến Dũng arrived in South Vietnam to take command of PAVN/VC forces. He decided that capture of the city of Ban Mê Thuột, the capital of Đắk Lắk Province, would be his first objective.


1975 in the Vietnam War, February
A bipartisan Congressional delegation visited South Vietnam at the request of President Ford. The delegation was led by John Flynt, a supporter of continued aid to South Vietnam and included Bella Abzug, Donald M. Fraser and Pete McCloskey, all opponents of continued aid. The delegation was unable to agree a unified position, other than their dislike of Ambassador Graham Martin.


1975 in the Vietnam War, March
The PAVN began "Campaign 275" to capture the Central Highlands with diversionary attacks near Kon Tum and Pleiku while building up forces near Ban Me Thuot, the main objective of the campaign.


1975 in the Vietnam War, March
The PAVN launched its attack on Ban Me Thuot, and by nightfall they held the center of the city although fighting continued in the outskirts.


1975 in the Vietnam War, March
The ARVN II Corps commander, General Phạm Văn Phú, reported to his government that the PAVN were firmly in control of Ban Me Thuot.


1975 in the Vietnam War, March
Captured in the PAVN assault on Ban Me Thuot were 14 foreigners, including American missionaries with a six-year-old daughter and Paul Struharik, the provincial representative of the United States. The prisoners were taken to North Vietnam and held captive until being released on October 30.


1975 in the Vietnam War, March
An Air Vietnam DC-4 crashed 25km southwest of Pleiku while on a flight from Vientiane to Saigon killing all 26 onboard, including New Zealand Red Cross team leader Malcolm Riding. The wreckage could not be inspected to determine the cause of the crash due to fighting in the area.


1975 in the Vietnam War, March
South Vietnamese President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu met with his military commanders and unrealistically ordered General Phú to retake Ban Me Thuot. All ARVN forces were to be withdrawn from other parts of the Central Highlands to be reassembled for the assault on Ban Me Thuot and for the defense of the coast. The withdrawal was to be carried out with secrecy. U.S. authorities and South Vietnamese provincial leaders were not informed of this decision. The provincial forces, mostly Montagnard highlanders, were to be abandoned.


1975 in the Vietnam War, March
Phú abandoned efforts to retake Ban Me Thuot and began the retreat to the coast. The ARVN 23rd Division at Ban Me Thuot had been destroyed, with many desertions as South Vietnamese soldiers attempted to save themselves and their families, a pattern that would continue during the remainder of the war.


1975 in the Vietnam War, March
The withdrawal of the ARVN from the Central Highlands, mostly the troops stationed in the cities of Pleiku and Kon Tum, began. The only route open to many was Route 7B, a highway in poor repair. As most senior ARVN officers had departed the highlands by helicopter, many of the remaining soldiers were a leaderless mob mixed with fleeing civilians. In the "convoy of tears", under fire by the PAVN, only about 60,000 of 180,000 fleeing civilians were known to have reached the coast and temporary safety. Only 900 of 7,000 South Vietnamese Rangers, who provided most of the defense of the convoy and 5,000 of 20,000 other South Vietnamese soldiers are known to have survived. Many of the soldiers probably deserted rather than report for duty.


1975 in the Vietnam War, March
The ARVN abandon An Lộc with the 32nd Ranger Group withdrawing along Highway 13 to Chơn Thành Camp.


1975 in the Vietnam War, March
Quảng Trị, the northernmost city of South Vietnam, was occupied by the PAVN without a fight, the defenders having been evacuated by sea.


1975 in the Vietnam War, March
North Vietnam changed the name of Campaign 275 to the "Ho Chi Minh Campaign." The original plan of North Vietnam had been to gain control over the Central Highlands in 1975 and complete its conquest of the country in 1976. However, the rapid collapse of South Vietnamese defenses resulted in General Dung being given a more ambitious objective: the capture of Saigon before the birthday of Ho Chi Minh on May 19 and the onset of the rainy season at approximately the same date.


1975 in the Vietnam War, March
Two Regiments of the PAVN 9th Division supported by tanks attacked Chơn Thành Camp. The defenders destroyed seven T-54s with antitank rockets and recoilless rifle fire and, together with RVNAF airstrikes, they killed more than 100 PAVN soldiers. On 26 March, the 9th Division attacked again, apparently trying to retrieve disabled tanks, but was repulsed again. By 27 March the 273rd Regiment was sent to reinforce the 9th Division for another assault on the camp.


1975 in the Vietnam War, March
After 2 attacks the PAVN had been repulsed for the loss of 240 killed and 11 tanks destroyed, while ARVN losses were 50 killed and wounded. At dawn on 31 March following a 3,000 round bombardment, the entire 9th Division, 273rd Regiment and the remaining tanks attacked Chơn Thành again. The PAVN penetrated the camp defenses three times and were repulsed each time. However resupply, reinforcement and medical evacuation from the camp was now impossible and the Ranger commander received permission to abandon Chơn Thành.


1975 in the Vietnam War, March
On 1 April the RVNAF saturated the PAVN assembly areas and bivouacs with 52 sorties; under the cover of this attack, the Ranger and RF battalions began withdrawing separately to Bàu Bàng and Lai Khê, taking the remaining artillery and M41 tanks with them. One Ranger battalion and the RF battalion were ambushed and suffered moderate losses, but the 31st Ranger Group was now available to support South Vietnamese defenses elsewhere.


1975 in the Vietnam War, March
After the fall of Quảng Trị, Hué, 60 kilometres (37 mi) south, was the next major city to fall to the PAVN. The defenders were evacuated by sea. Both civilians and soldiers had begun abandoning the city several days earlier and headed south toward Da Nang, South Vietnam's second largest city.


1975 in the Vietnam War, March
President Ford authorized the use of U.S. navy vessels to assist in the evacuation of South Vietnamese cities.


1975 in the Vietnam War, March
The New Zealand surgical team is evacuated from Qui Nhơn ending a 12 year presence there.


1975 in the Vietnam War, March
Da Nang, 80 kilometres (50 mi) south of Hué, was the next city to fall to PAVN forces. Crowded with a half million refugees, 70,000 people had been evacuated by barge or air during the previous several days. ARVN soldiers forced themselves onto the evacuation planes and barges and comprised a large share of the evacuees, but the 16,000 soldiers evacuated were little more than 10 percent of the total ARVN force which had been stationed in I Corps. The former US naval and air base of Cam Ranh Bay, almost 400 kilometres (250 mi) south, was the destination of most of the people evacuated.


1975 in the Vietnam War, March
U.S. Army Chief of Staff Frederick C. Weyand in South Vietnam assessed the situation. "It is possible that with abundant resupply and a great deal of luck, the GVN [Government of South Vietnam] could survive... It is extremely doubtful that it could withstand an offensive involving the commitment of three additional Communist divisions...without U.S. strategic air support." Colonel William Le Gro of the U.S. Embassy said that without U.S. strategic bombing of North Vietnamese forces, South Vietnam would be defeated within 90 days.


1975 in the Vietnam War, March
General Dung, was notified by his government that, due to the rapid collapse of South Vietnamese armed forces, he was to "liberate Saigon before the rainy season [mid-May]" The original plan had been to wait until 1976 before attacking Saigon and the southern one-half of South Vietnam.


1975 in the Vietnam War, March
Technicians from the United States Atomic Energy Commission escorted by Navy SEALS removed the fuel rods from the nuclear research reactor at Dalat University and flew them to Johnston Atoll.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April
Qui Nhơn, South Vietnam's third largest city, 180 kilometres (110 mi) south of Da Nang, was captured by the PAVN. More than one-half of the land area of South Vietnam was now under the control of the PAVN.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April
Nha Trang was the next objective of the PAVN. General Phú departed Nha Trang secretly by helicopter. Phú had previously promised to defend Nha Trang and had prohibited his soldiers from retreating. He did not inform his men or officers of his departure and order quickly broke down in the city.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April
The American Consul General in Nha Trang, Moncrieff Spear, ordered the evacuation of American personnel from the city. In the hurried departure, about 100 of the Consulate's Vietnamese employees and one of the five Marine Security Guards, Sergeant Michael A. McCormick, were left behind. McCormick was later able to leave Nha Trang on an Air America helicopter.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April
Cambodian President Lon Nol and his family members fled Cambodia to go into exile in the United States. The Khmer Rouge had conquered most of Cambodia and were poised to capture the capital city of Phnom Penh.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April
With the northern part of South Vietnam firmly in the hands of the PAVN after the west-to-east attacks, General Dung ordered most of his soldiers to turn south and drive toward Saigon, still 300 kilometres (190 mi) distant.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April
President Ford announced Operation Babylift, a plan for the US to bring orphans from South Vietnam to the United States to be adopted by American parents. During the next few weeks, 2,545 Vietnamese children would be flown out of the country of which 1,945 would come to the United States. 51 percent of the children were under 2 years old. 451 of the children were racially mixed, presumably the children of American and other soldiers who had been stationed in Vietnam. Operation Babylift was controversial as critics alleged that not all of the children were orphans and parents had not given their permission for their children to be adopted. There were also criticisms that the children were being removed from their own culture to save them from communist influences.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April
General Weyand met with President Thiệu in Saigon. Weyand promised more American aid to South Vietnam, but declined Thiệu's request for a renewal of American bombing of North Vietnamese forces.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April
South Vietnamese Prime Minister Trần Thiện Khiêm resigned and made preparations to move to Paris, France.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April
The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency predicted that South Vietnam would be defeated in 30 days.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April
The initial flight of Operation Babylift ended in disaster. The C-5 cargo plane carrying more than 300 persons, including children, escorts and U.S. Air Force crew members crashed near Saigon. 78 Vietnamese children and 50 adults were killed.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April
The first of two flights by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) took place, in which Vietnamese civilians were evacuated to Bangkok and then to Australia.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April
President Thiệu announced that Prime Minister Trần Thiện Khiêm had been fired.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April
The city of Nha Trang was captured with little opposition.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April
A Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) pilot dropped bombs from his F-5 on the Presidential Palace in Saigon and defected to the North Vietnamese. The bombs did little damage but caused panic in Saigon.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April
Hearts and Minds won the 1974 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. Accepting the award co-producer Bert Schneider said, "It's ironic that we're here at a time just before Vietnam is about to be liberated" and then read a telegram containing "Greetings of Friendship to all American People" from Ambassador Dinh Ba Thi of the VC.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April
The Battle of Xuân Lộc began. Xuân Lộc was a town 80 kilometres (50 mi) east of Saigon. South Vietnam had stationed most of its remaining mobile forces around the town to attempt to halt the drive of the PAVN toward Saigon.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April
In the Battle of Truong Sa or East Sea Campaign, a naval operation, North Vietnam completed its capture of the South Vietnamese-held Spratly Islands, 400 kilometres (250 mi) off the coast of Vietnam. Following the reunification of Vietnam in 1976, the Spratleys, Trường Sa in Vietnamese, became a part of Khánh Hòa Province.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April
President Ford requested the U.S. Congress to provide additional aid to South Vietnam: $722 million for military and $250 million for economic aid. Congress declined to act on the President's request and expressed doubt that the aid could arrive in time to be useful—or, in any case, would enable South Vietnam to survive.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April
The second and final flight by the RAAF of Vietnamese civilians to Bangkok took place for a total of 270 people evacuated.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
The personnel of the American Embassy in Phnom Penh were evacuated in Operation Eagle Pull. Fewer than 300 people were evacuated, including 82 Americans. Several American journalists and other foreigners chose to remain behind.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
Many prominent Cambodians chose to remain behind and trust to the mercies of the Khmer Rouge. Deputy Prime Minister Sisowath Sirik Matak said in a letter to the American Ambassador, "I cannot, alas, leave in such a cowardly fashion....I have only committed this mistake of believing in you, the Americans." Sirik Matak was executed a few days later by the Khmer Rouge.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
Two Congressional staff members, Richard Moose and Charles Miessner after visiting South Vietnam released a report stating that "no one including the Vietnamese military believes that more [U.S.] aid could reverse the flow of events." They said that evacuation of Americans from Saigon was being resisted by Ambassador Graham Martin and other senior officials.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
The Foreign Ministry of North Vietnam announced that it would create "no difficulty or obstacles" to a U.S. evacuation of South Vietnam provided it was done "immediately. ".


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
The Khmer Rouge entered Phnom Penh. Immediately they ordered all the population, swollen to more than 2 million by refugees from the war, to evacuate the city. The Khmer Rouge made no provision for food, shelter, and medical care for the evacuees and thousands died. The evacuated people were resettled in the countryside. Many educated people were summarily executed.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
A CIA spy within the inner circles of the North Vietnamese government told the U.S. Embassy in Saigon that North Vietnam would not negotiate but was committed to a military victory over South Vietnam before the end of April.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
President Ford, over the objections of Ambassador Martin, ordered the evacuation of non-essential American employees of the U.S. in South Vietnam. Martin feared that a U.S. evacuation would undermine confidence in the South Vietnamese government, cause panic, and possibly incite violence against Americans. Ford also created on this date the Interagency Task Force on Indochinese Refugees to evacuate Americans and Vietnamese from South Vietnam.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
Secretary of State Henry Kissinger met with the USSR Ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Dobrynin. He presented a letter from President Ford requesting the Soviets to use their influence with North Vietnam to seek a cease fire in South Vietnam. In exchange, the US promised to withdraw from South Vietnam, cut off aid, and convene peace talks in Paris. Kissinger also warned that any North Vietnamese attacks against Saigon or Tan Son Nhat International Airport or interference with the U.S. withdrawal would cause a "most dangerous situation."


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
With the battle of Xuân Lộc nearly over and going in favor of North Vietnam, CIA director William Colby told the President that "South Vietnam faces total defeat - and soon."


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
The Battle of Xuân Lộc concluded with the ARVN retreating toward Saigon. Unlike earlier battles of the Spring Offensive, the ARVN had put up a vigorous resistance to the PAVN. Xuân Lộc was to be the last major battle of the Vietnam War. The PAVN now controlled 2/3 of the territory of the country.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
President Thiệu resigned, leaving the government in the hands of Vice President Trần Văn Hương. In his 2-hour resignation speech, Thiệu criticized the U.S. for not keeping its promises to Vietnam. He departed Vietnam in exile a few days later. In response to Thiệu's resignation, Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said that Thiệu's resignation "in all probability will lead to some form of negotiation" to save Saigon. However, all efforts to negotiate with North Vietnam proved fruitless.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
After a systematic evacuation of staff and dependents by the Royal New Zealand Air Force beginning two weeks prior, the last New Zealanders, including Ambassador Norman Farrell, were evacuated from the New Zealand Embassy in Saigon.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
The new President of South Vietnam, Trần Văn Hương, proposed a ceasefire in the fighting and negotiations between the South and the North. However, on this same day, General Dung finalized his plans to conquer Saigon and issued orders to begin the operation. The ARVN had approximately 60,000 soldiers to defend the city. Dung's plan, with 130,000 soldiers, was to advance with tanks and mechanized forces toward Saigon along main highways and capture key objectives in and around the city.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
The U.S. Department of Justice approved the entry into the United States of up to 130,000 Vietnamese refugees to be evacuated from South Vietnam.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
In a speech at Tulane University President Ford declared that the war "is finished as far as America is concerned."


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
In Saigon the evacuation of Americans and Vietnamese accelerated with two military transport airplanes per hour arriving at Tan Son Nhut airport and 7,000 people per day being flown out of the country. The great majority of the Vietnamese evacuees were taken to Guam where they would be housed and processed for entry into the United States or other countries under Operation New Life.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
A large U.S. Navy taskforce assembled off the coast of South Vietnam to assist in the evacuation. The ships of the task force would be the destination for those evacuated from Saigon by helicopter and the tens of thousands of South Vietnamese who were fleeing in private boats, barges and Republic of Vietnam Navy vessels.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
The U.S. Embassy in Saigon decided that, to signal "Evacuation Day" for all Americans, the Defense Attaché Office (DAO) radio station would broadcast the phrase "the temperature is 105 degrees and rising" followed by playing Bing Crosby's recording of the song "White Christmas".


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
The last Australians including Ambassador Geoffrey Price of the Australian Embassy in Saigon were evacuated by the RAAF.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
The assault on Saigon began with a PAVN bombardment of Bien Hoa Air Base 30 kilometres (19 mi) northeast of Saigon. Biên Hòa was the largest airbase in South Vietnam. It was quickly abandoned by South Vietnamese forces.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
The first PAVN rockets fell in downtown Saigon, killing 6 people.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
President Hương resigned as President of South Vietnam. That evening the National Assembly named Dương Văn Minh as President and gave him the job of "seeking ways and means to restore peace to South Vietnam."


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
In the early afternoon, several RVNAF helicopters launched a counterattack to clear away the VC troops who attempt to occupy Newport Bridge to block the route between Saigon and Bien Hoa. Then, ARVN soldiers rushed to Newport Bridge to keep the bridge secure. At the end of the day, most of ARVN soldiers managed to clear the bridge and captured several fighting VC units at the hideout.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
President Dương Văn Minh made an inauguration presidential speech about the struggle of the South Vietnam military and finding ways for the peace to end the war with North Vietnam and PRG. He ordered all remaining ARVN units, including in the Mekong Delta, to protect the remaining territories and keep resistance as long as possible until an order from ceasefire. He reminded Saigon citizens to stay in South Vietnam and promise a new ceasefire with the PRG to keep Republic of Vietnam alive and separate.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
At 17:30 Tan Son Nhut Air Base was bombed by Vietnam People's Air Force pilots flying captured RVNAF A-37 jets. With the runway damaged the refugee evacuation by fixed wing aircraft was interrupted.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
In Cần Thơ, U.S consul Francis Terry McNamara met for the final time with Major General Nguyễn Khoa Nam about the plans to evacuate U.S consulate employees, some American civilians and even some Vietnamese employees by boat. General Nam didn't want any active ARVN military-aged men to evacuate with the Americans.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
Rocket attacks by PAVN forces on Tan Son Nhut airport began at 03:58 hours and killed Marines Charles McMahon and Darwin Judge the last two U.S. servicemen killed in combat in Vietnam at the DAO Compound.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
Offshore to assist with the evacuation were five U.S. aircraft carriers and more than 30 other U.S. navy ships. Tens of thousands of South Vietnamese attempted to evacuate South Vietnam by small boats and barges. By day's end, one of the U.S. ships had crowded more than 10,000 refugees on board and had been forced to refuse boarding to passengers of 70 or 80 other boats nearby.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
After a visit to Tan Son Nhut airport, Ambassador Martin and General Homer D. Smith, the highest ranking U.S. military officer in Vietnam, agreed that the situation was too dangerous to continue evacuating Americans and Vietnamese by fixed wing aircraft. Instead, a helicopter evacuation, dubbed Operation Frequent Wind, would begin immediately. The first evacuation by helicopter was at approximately 10:00, although large-scale evacuation by helicopter did not begin until 15:00.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
By late afternoon, a mob of several thousand Vietnamese ringed the U.S. Embassy in downtown Saigon. Marine guards prevented them from climbing over the fence. Inside the Embassy compound were two to three thousand people, mostly Vietnamese, awaiting evacuation. This was far more people that the U.S. had anticipated evacuating from the Embassy and the Marine Corps commander of the helicopter evacuation assigned many additional helicopters to the evacuation. However, only one helicopter at a time could land at the Embassy in the parking lot and on the roof. After nightfall, wind and rain reduced visibility and made the helicopter landings hazardous. Embassy personnel set up a slide projector on the roof. The beam of light from the projector illuminated the landing area.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
Meanwhile, at the DAO compound, 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) from the Embassy, evacuation by helicopter was also proceeding, although weather conditions and tracer rounds made the operation hazardous. At 20:15 General Smith boarded the last evacuation helicopter from the compound. The operation had evacuated more than 6,000 people, including more than 5,000 Vietnamese, by more than 100 helicopter sorties during the day. Meanwhile, the helicopter evacuation from the Embassy continued.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
About 22:00, Ambassador Martin at the Embassy, hearing that Washington planned to halt the evacuation cabled the State Department: "I need 30 CH-53s [helicopters] and I need them now.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
Hubert van Es a Dutch photographer and photojournalist took the photo showing South Vietnamese civilians scrambling to the rooftop of 22 Gia Long Street to board an Air America helicopter.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
In the Mekong Delta, the situation in Can Tho and other Mekong provinces started to deteriorate. Although the VC launched small attacks outside of Cần Thơ, the city remained calm with the presence of ARVN 21st Division protecting the defensive line. The last diplomatic outpost of the U.S. outside Saigon was Cần Thơ.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
At noon, despairing of other options for evacuation, Consul General Francis McNamara assembled more than 300 U.S. Filipino and Vietnamese employees of the U.S. government and loaded them on a barge and two landing craft and, under fire, set off down the river and out to South China Sea. McNamara wore a helmet that declared he was the "Commodore, Can Tho Yacht Club." The group was picked up by a ship at 01:00 the next morning. As of 29 April the PAVN/VC hadn't launched any attacks on 16 Mekong provinces.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
Helicopter evacuations of Vietnamese and Americans continued from the Embassy until 03:45. However, there were still about 420 Vietnamese and other non-Americans left inside the Embassy compound. Two additional helicopters were dispatched with the pilots instructed by President Ford that only Americans were to be evacuated. Ambassador Martin and his staff were to board the first of the helicopters and the remaining American staff were to leave on the second helicopter. Additional helicopters were then sent to evacuate the Marine guards, under the command of Major James Kean, with the last eleven leaving the Embassy at 07:53. Master Sergeant Juan Valdez was the last Marine to board the last helicopter out of Saigon. The 420 people awaiting evacuation were abandoned. Twenty-five years of U.S. military involvement in South Vietnam had ended.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
Around 07:30, ARVN soldiers held at the Newport Bridge to prevent the PAVN advance. At 10:24 President announced on the radio the surrender of South Vietnam. An ARVN major who attempt to blow up Newport Bridge by electrical detonator later abandoned the plan, ending major resistance. At 10:30 PAVN soldiers and tanks crossed the Newport Bridge without any resistance and moved into the city.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
About noon and almost unopposed, a column of PAVN tanks and armored vehicles advanced into downtown Saigon. A tank crashed through the gate of the Presidential Palace. Inside, President Minh awaited the arrival of the North Vietnamese and surrendered. The ARVN soldiers had mostly abandoned their posts and the remainder of Saigon was captured with little opposition.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
The new communist government announced that Saigon had been renamed Ho Chi Minh City.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
According to radio broadcast from Bangkok, several Mekong provincial capitals, presumably including Can Tho, refused to surrender to the VC shortly after President Minh ordered central government and ARVN forces ceased to exist. The next day, the remnants of Mekong provincial capitals dissolved.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
On Phu Quoc Island, ARVN soldiers and Republic of Vietnam Navy sailors fought against superior VC units near the pier in Duong Dong until President Minh's surrender broadcast. The soldiers and sailors later surrendered to VC at the navy pier to avoid further bloodshed.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
In Can Tho, Brigadier General Lê Văn Hưng, a hero of the Battle of An Loc, committed suicide at 20:45 after farewelling the remaining ARVN soldiers and his family. General Hung was one of five ARVN generals who refused to surrender to VC and committed suicide.


1975 in the Vietnam War, April, Evacuation
Southwest of Saigon in Dinh Tuong Province (now in Tien Giang Province), General Trần Văn Hai poisoned himself and died there in Dong Tam Base Camp, when the VC representatives met several ARVN soldiers demanding the base handed over on the next morning of 1 May.


1975 in the Vietnam War, May
The last remaining ARVN soldiers in Can Tho surrendered to VC on the early morning shortly after Major General Nguyen Khoa Nam committed suicide at his military headquarters. General Nam was one of three ARVN generals in Mekong Delta refused to be evacuated by Americans prior to South Vietnam surrendered.


1975 in the Vietnam War, May
Khmer Rouge forces landed on Phú Quốc which was claimed by Cambodia but controlled by South Vietnam.


1975 in the Vietnam War, May
General Vang Pao, a Hmong highlander, was ordered by the Prime Minister of Laos to cease resistance to the Pathet Lao. Vang Pao resigned instead.


1975 in the Vietnam War, May
101 ex-RVNAF aircraft at U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield were loaded aboard the USS Midway which evacuated 27 A-37s, 3 CH-47s, 25 F-5Es and 45 UH-1Hs. A further 41 aircraft were flown to the U.S. while 54 aircraft were transferred to the Thai Government, these comprised: 1 A-37, 17 C-47s, 1 F-5B, 12 O-1s, 14 U-17s and 9 UH-1Hs.


1975 in the Vietnam War, May
A few journalists and other foreigners had remained behind when the U.S. evacuated Phnom Penh. They were driven to the border with Thailand and expelled. The journalists reported that Phnom Penh was an empty city, except for Khmer Rouge soldiers, and that the country was a wasteland of ruins and abandoned towns and cities. Cambodia had become a land of silence with not even the names of its new rulers known to the outside world.


1975 in the Vietnam War, May
Khmer Rouge captured the Thổ Chu Islands, where they evacuated and later executed 500 Vietnamese civilians. The PAVN launched a counterattack evicting the Khmer Rouge from Phú Quốc and Thổ Chu and attacked Cambodia's Poulo Wai island.


1975 in the Vietnam War, May
Khmer Rouge forces seized the U.S. merchant vessel SS Mayaguez in the Gulf of Thailand, apparently without the knowledge of the central government of Cambodia.


1975 in the Vietnam War, May
The Pathet Lao and their North Vietnamese allies in Laos broke through the defense lines of the Hmong army headquartered in Long Tieng, "the most secret place on earth." " CIA agent Jerry Daniels organized an air evacuation of Vang Pao and about 2,000 Hmong, mostly soldiers and their families to Thailand.


1975 in the Vietnam War, May
U.S. forces re-captured the Mayaguez and rescued its crew. The U.S. launched retaliatory air strikes against targets in Cambodia and landed Marines on Koh Tang island. The Marines encountered heavy resistance and 18 were killed before their withdrawal. Twenty-three additional Americans were killed in a helicopter crash during the operation.


1975 in the Vietnam War, May
Most American employees of the U.S. Embassy in Laos were ordered to evacuate the country. Most were evacuated by air to Bangkok, Thailand. A skeleton staff remained at the Embassy.


1975 in the Vietnam War, June
In mid-June Vietnam attacked Poulo Wai and fought the Khmer Rouge before withdrawing in August and recognising it as Kampuchean territory.


1975 in the Vietnam War, August
The King of Laos Sisavang Vatthana abdicated the throne, he would later die in Pathet Lao captivity. The Pathet Lao were already in control of the country.


1975 in the Vietnam War, October
James Lewis a CIA agent captured near Phan Rang Air Base on 16 April 1975 and 13 other US citizens captured during the 1975 Spring Offensive were transported by a UN-chartered C-47 from Hanoi to Vientiane, Laos and then on to Bangkok, Thailand.


1975 in the environment
This is a list of notable events relating to the environment in 1975. They relate to environmental law, conservation, environmentalism and environmental issues.


1975 in video games
1975 has several new titles such as Western Gun, Dungeon and dnd.


1975 in video games, Financial performance in the United States
The "paddle game" trend came to an end in arcades around 1975, with the arcade video game industry entering a period of stagnation in the "post paddle game era" over the next several years up until 1977.


1975 in video games, Financial performance in the United States, Best-selling arcade games
The following titles were the best-selling arcade video games of 1975 in the United States, according to annual arcade cabinet sales figures provided by Ralph H. Baer.


1975 in video games, Financial performance in the United States, Highest-grossing arcade games
In the United States, RePlay magazine published the first annual chart of top-grossing arcade games in March 1976, listing both video games and electro-mechanical games (EM games) on the same chart for the previous year. The following were the highest-grossing arcade games of the previous year, in terms of coin drop earnings.


1975 spring offensive
The 1975 spring offensive (Vietnamese: chiến dịch mùa Xuân 1975), officially known as the general offensive and uprising of spring 1975 (Vietnamese: Tổng tiến công và nổi dậy mùa Xuân 1975) was the final North Vietnamese campaign in the Vietnam War that led to the capitulation of South Vietnam. After the initial success capturing Phước Long Province, the North Vietnamese leadership increased the scope of the People's Army of Vietnam's (PAVN) offensive and captured and held the key Central Highlands city of Buôn Ma Thuột between 10 and 18 March. These operations were intended to be preparatory to launching a general offensive in 1976.


1975 spring offensive
Following the attack on Buôn Ma Thuôt, the Republic of Vietnam realized they were no longer able to defend the entire country and ordered a strategic withdrawal from the Central Highlands. The retreat from the Central Highlands, however, was a debacle as civilian refugees fled under fire with soldiers, mostly along a single highway reaching from the highlands to the coast. This situation was exacerbated by confusing orders, lack of command and control, and a well-led and aggressive enemy, which led to the utter rout and destruction of the bulk of South Vietnamese forces in the Central Highlands. A similar collapse occurred in the northern provinces.


1975 spring offensive
Surprised by the rapidity of the ARVN collapse, North Vietnam transferred the bulk of its northern forces more than 350 miles (560 km) to the south in order to capture the South Vietnamese capital of Saigon in time to celebrate their late President Ho Chi Minh's birthday and end the war. South Vietnamese forces regrouped around the capital and defended the key transportation hubs at Phan Rang and Xuân Lộc, but a loss of political and military will to continue the fight became ever more manifest.


1975 spring offensive
Under political pressure, South Vietnamese President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu resigned on 21 April, in hopes that a new leader that was more amenable to the North Vietnamese could reopen negotiations with them. It was, however, too late. Southwest of Saigon IV Corps, meanwhile, remained relatively stable with its forces aggressively preventing VC units from taking over any provincial capitals. With PAVN spearheads already entering Saigon, the South Vietnamese government, then under the leadership of Dương Văn Minh, capitulated on 30 April 1975.


1975 spring offensive, Preliminaries, Strategies
The signing of the Paris Peace Accords in January 1973 did not end the fighting in South Vietnam since both sides violated the cease-fire and attempted to gain control of as much territory as possible. Occupation meant population control in any future negotiations or reunification effort. The fighting that erupted was not small in scale. The three-phase North Vietnamese "Land-grabbing-and population nibbling" campaign, for example, included four division-sized attacks to seize strategically advantageous positions.


1975 spring offensive, Preliminaries, Strategies
The International Commission of Control and Supervision (ICCS), established by a protocol of the Paris agreement, had been assigned the task of monitoring the implementation of the cease-fire. The principles of consultation and unanimity among the members, however, doomed any effort to control the situation or to stop cease-fire violations, and the ICCS ceased to function in any meaningful way within a few months of its establishment.


1975 spring offensive, Preliminaries, Strategies
At the end of 1973, there was serious debate among the Hanoi leadership over future military policy as the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam convened to assess the progress of its efforts in the south. General Văn Tiến Dũng, PAVN chief of staff, and Defence Minister Võ Nguyên Giáp strongly urged the resumption of conventional military operations, warning that increasing passivity would affect the morale of the army. Premier Phạm Văn Đồng, however, feared resuming operations would drain vital resources needed for reconstruction in the north.


1975 spring offensive, Preliminaries, Strategies
The final result of this debate was Resolution 21, which called for "strategic raids" on South Vietnamese forces in order to regain territory lost to the ARVN since the conclusion of the Peace Accords and to test the reaction of both the South Vietnamese military and the American government. The first blows of the new policy were delivered between March and November 1974, when the communists attacked ARVN forces in Quảng Đức Province and at Biên Hòa. Hanoi's leaders watched closely and anxiously as strikes by American B-52 Stratofortress bombers failed to materialize. During these operations, however, PAVN retook the military initiative, gaining experience in combined arms operations, depleting ARVN forces, causing them to expend large quantities of ammunition, and gaining avenues of approach and jump-off points for any new offensive.


1975 spring offensive, Preliminaries, Strategies
South Vietnamese President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu had made his position on the cease-fire agreement quite public by proclaiming the "Four Nos": no negotiations with the communists; no communist political activities south of the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone (DMZ); no coalition government; and no surrender of territory to the North Vietnamese or Provisional Revolutionary Government (PRG) – policies which all but abrogated the Paris Accords. Thiệu still believed the promise made by President Richard Nixon to reintroduce American air power to the conflict if any serious violations of the agreement took place. It was also assumed that U.S. financial and military aid would continue to be forthcoming at previous levels.


1975 spring offensive, Preliminaries, Strategies
On 1 July 1973, however, the U.S. Congress passed the Case–Church Amendment, legislation that all but prohibited any direct or indirect U.S. combat activities over or in Laos, Cambodia, and both Vietnams. On 7 November the legislative branch overrode Nixon's veto of the War Powers Act. During 1972–1973, South Vietnam had received $2.2 billion in U.S. assistance. In 1973–1974, that figure was slashed to $965 million, a more than 50 percent reduction. Nixon's growing political difficulties (especially the Watergate scandal) and the increasing antagonism between the legislative and executive branches over Vietnam policies, did little to dampen South Vietnamese expectations.


1975 spring offensive, Preliminaries, Strategies
Some among the Saigon leadership were more realistic in their appraisal. According to Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) General Dong Van Khuyen: "Our leaders continued to believe in U.S. air intervention even after the U.S. Congress had expressly forbidden it ... They deluded themselves." The shock of reduced aid was compounded on 9 August, when Richard Nixon, the guarantor of South Vietnamese independence, was forced to resign from office.


1975 spring offensive, Preliminaries, Strategies
In October 1973, the Arab oil embargo began, and the resulting oil shock of 1973–74 caused a massive bout of inflation that largely destroyed the South Vietnamese economy with a spokesman for Thiệu admitting in a TV interview that the government was being "overwhelmed" by the inflation. One consequence of the inflation was the South Vietnamese government had increasing difficulty in paying its soldiers.


1975 spring offensive, Preliminaries, Strategies
Taking advantage of North Vietnam's period of recuperation in 1974, President Thiệu stretched his forces thin by launching offensives that retook most of the territory captured by PAVN forces during the land grab of 1973 and 15 percent of the total land area controlled by the PAVN at the time of the cease-fire. In April, Thiệu launched the Svay Rieng Campaign against PAVN strongholds in eastern Cambodia. This proved to be the last major offensive operation launched by the ARVN. While these operations succeeded, the cost in terms of manpower and resources was high. By the end of the year the military experienced shortages as a result of decreased American aid, while communist forces continued gaining strength.


1975 spring offensive, Preliminaries, Strategies
By the end of October the North Vietnamese Politburo decided on its strategy for 1975 and 1976. In what became known as Resolution of 1975, the party leadership reported that the war reached its "final stage". The army was to consolidate its gains, eliminate South Vietnamese border outposts and secure its logistical corridor, and continue its force build-up in the south. During 1976 the final general offensive would begin. The following month, PAVN field commanders and their political officers were called to Hanoi to assess the new strategy.


1975 spring offensive, Preliminaries, Strategies
It was first decided that an attack in the Central Highlands would have the greatest chance of success, but this concept was challenged by Lieutenant General Trần Văn Trà, COSVN's military commander. His staff already drew a plan for a direct attack against Saigon, and Trà quickly proposed that his forces launch a "test" attack in Phước Long Province to see how well the ARVN would fight and if the U.S. would react. Trà's plan offered the potential for great gain at low risk. First Party Secretary Lê Duẩn approved the plan, but warned Trà that failure would not be acceptable, telling him "Go ahead and attack...[But] you must be sure of victory."


1975 spring offensive, Preliminaries, Opposing forces, ARVN
After the signing of the Paris Accords, the South Vietnamese government fielded the fourth largest military force in the world as a result of the American Enhance and Enhance Plus programs. The nation received new combat and transport aircraft, armored vehicles, helicopters, artillery pieces, and other equipment worth $753 million. The arms shipments were welcomed by Saigon, but the lack of sufficient training and dependence on the U.S. for spare parts, fuel, and ammunition caused maintenance and logistical problems.


1975 spring offensive, Preliminaries, Opposing forces, ARVN
South Vietnamese forces certainly outnumbered combined PAVN/Viet Cong (VC) forces in the south with approximately one and one-half million troops in uniform. But almost 482,000 of this number belonged to either the Regional or Popular Forces, organizations of mixed reliability. Even the lesser number was misleading. Only about 200,000 of the remaining total served as regulars in the combat arms. The rest were in the administrative and logistical "tail" required to support them (of course, a large proportion of the active PAVN and VC forces were likewise engaged, on the Ho Chi Minh Trail, anti-aircraft networks, administration, etc., as is true of any modern army).


1975 spring offensive, Preliminaries, Opposing forces, ARVN
The ARVN always had problems keeping men in the ranks, but during 1973–75, the problem reached epidemic proportions. During 1974, for example, only 65 percent of authorized manpower was present for duty at any time. The nation's officer corps still suffered from the promotion and retention of generals due to their political loyalties, not their professional abilities. Corruption and incompetence among officers was endemic, with some "raising it almost to an art form."


1975 spring offensive, Preliminaries, Opposing forces, ARVN
Severe cutbacks in U.S. aid directly affected military performance. Artillery batteries previously allocated 100 rounds per day were reduced to firing only four daily. Each ARVN soldier was restricted to only 85 bullets per month. Because of fuel shortages and a lack of spare parts, sorties by South Vietnamese helicopter and cargo aircraft shrank by 50 to 70 percent. Due to President Thiệu's "no surrender of territory" command, the army was stretched to the limit defending terrain along a 600-mile frontier. Even the nation's strategic reserve, the Airborne and Marine Divisions, were occupied in static defensive roles. The ARVN, schooled by the Americans in rapid mobility and application of massive firepower, were losing the ability to deliver either. The military situation was exacerbated by the collapse of the South Vietnamese economy and a massive influx of refugees into the cities.


1975 spring offensive, Preliminaries, Opposing forces, ARVN
During the same period, the North Vietnamese were recovering from losses incurred during the Easter Offensive of 1972 by replacing personnel and modernizing their equipment with a new influx of Soviet and Chinese military aid. During 1973, North Vietnam received 2.8 million metric tons of goods (worth $330 million) from communist-bloc countries, a 50 percent increase over the previous year. In 1974 that total increased to 3.5 million metric tons ($400 million) (according to CIA), while the South's aid was slashed to only $965 million per year, down from $2.2 billion. As a result, the number of artillery tubes within South Vietnam increased to 430, including new 122 mm and 130 mm guns, while armored forces were estimated to have increased to 655 tanks and armored personnel carriers, including the new Soviet-built BTR-60.


1975 spring offensive, Preliminaries, Opposing forces, PAVN
By the end of 1974, the North Vietnamese General Staff had created two army corps headquarters, matching South Vietnam's command and control structure in the I and II Corps Tactical Zones. Most independent PAVN infantry regiments in the south were also combined into divisional structures.


1975 spring offensive, Preliminaries, Opposing forces, PAVN
A U.S. Defense Attaché Office (DAO) (established in 1973 to replace MACV, the 50 officers and men of the DAO coordinated all military assistance to South Vietnam) report concluded that the PAVN had increased their strategic reserve from two divisions to seven, making 70,000 additional troops available to augment the 200,000 combat and 100,000 support troops already in South Vietnam.


1975 spring offensive, Preliminaries, Opposing forces, PAVN
The PAVN high command also recognized the need for improvements to their logistical network to facilitate the transport of sufficient supplies of food, weapons, and ammunition necessary for continuous large-scale operations. By 1973 the 559th Transportation Group, which controlled the Ho Chi Minh Trail in southeastern Laos, was ordered to expand east of the Trường Sơn Mountains and directly into South Vietnam. The new logistical route, Corridor 613, ran inside South Vietnam from the DMZ to all the way to Lộc Ninh.


1975 spring offensive, Preliminaries, Opposing forces, PAVN
Besides creating the new extension, the 559th upgraded its entire network, constructing all-weather, hard-surfaced roads to accommodate the modern mechanized army that had been rebuilt since the Paris Accords. The work required two years to complete, but the time required for the transport of personnel from North Vietnam to the southernmost seat of battle was reduced from four months to three weeks.


1975 spring offensive, Preliminaries, Opposing forces, PAVN
One of the most threatening features of the new North Vietnamese build-up was the air defense network that was established within South Vietnam, which by 1975 consisted of twenty-two regiments equipped with radar-controlled gun systems and formidable SA-2 Guideline and shoulder-launched SA-7 Grail anti-aircraft missiles. Such systems posed a major deterrent to the RVNAF, since its aircraft were not equipped to deal with such threats. As a result, RVNAF aerial interdiction of the communist logistical build-up became almost impossible and reconnaissance flights were held to a minimum. This lack of active intelligence collection made estimation of North Vietnamese strength and intentions much more difficult.


1975 spring offensive, Preliminaries, Opposing forces, PAVN
However, deficiencies of the PAVN's armored and heavy artillery forces, essential for attacks on heavily fortified ARVN regimental and divisional base camps, weighed heavily on the minds of the General Staff planners who drew up the plan presented to the Politburo in October 1974. Much attention was focused on the role ARVN's ammunition shortages played in the collapse of South Vietnam, but it is not known if the PAVN suffered similar shortages. Soviet and Chinese military aid, especially in the category of "offensive weapon" (armor and artillery), declined significantly since the Paris Accords.


1975 spring offensive, Preliminaries, Opposing forces, PAVN
Also, much of PAVN's armor and artillery was in poor condition, and spare parts were in short supply. Most PAVN artillery units, especially in the South, were still equipped only with light mortar, recoilless gun, or single-tube rocket launchers. In the COSVN area of operations, consisting of the southern half of the country, seven infantry divisions (the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th) and one corps headquarters (4th Corps) were supported by only five battalions of field artillery, two of which were equipped with captured US-made weapons for which there was little ammunition, and three understrength armored battalions.


1975 spring offensive, Preliminaries, Opposing forces, PAVN
The PAVN's 2nd Corps, with three artillery regiments belonging to its three infantry divisions, a corps artillery brigade, a tank brigade, and a separate armored battalion, could field a grand total of only 89 tanks and armored personnel carrier and 87 towed artillery pieces when it set off to attack Saigon in April 1975.


1975 spring offensive, Preliminaries, Opposing forces, PAVN
Both the ARVN and PAVN's tanks and heavy artillery (field artillery and mortars 85mm or larger in caliber) suffered severe ammunition shortages. PAVN General Văn Tiến Dũng wrote that, compared to 1973, the 1974 ARVN's "firepower had decreased by nearly 60 percent because of bomb and ammunition shortages. Its mobility was also reduced by half due to lack of aircraft, vehicles, and fuel... The reduction of U.S. aid made it impossible for the puppet troops to carry out their combat plans and build up their forces."


1975 spring offensive, Preliminaries, Opposing forces, PAVN
Reduction in firepower continued throughout the next year as the ARVN attempted to conserve ammunition. In the heavy fighting of July 1974 through March 1975, the ARVN expended an average of 18,267 tons of ammunition per month, compared to 66,500 tons per month in 1972, a more than 72% reduction. On the other side, PAVN's entire stock of heavy artillery and tank ammunition in 1974, including all ammunition held by combat units at forward warehouses, and in the PAVN's strategic reserves, totaled just 100,000 rounds. The ammunition problem was so serious that the PAVN artillery command had to replace the larger weapons in a number of units with obsolete 76.2mm and 57mm artillery pieces drawn out of storage for which there still was adequate ammunition. Consequently, the offensive would rely partly on captured ARVN stocks.


1975 spring offensive, Preliminaries, Opposing forces, PAVN
Many historians maintain that given the massive reductions in US military aid to South Vietnam after 1973, any major PAVN offensive was bound to succeed. However, the ARVN's soldiers were hardened veterans, and South Vietnam maintained vast stockpiles of ammunition and equipment (as demonstrated by the massive quantities of war materiel captured by the PAVN when the war ended). The final collapse of the ARVN may well have been inevitable, but the end would have been much bloodier and much longer in coming had the PAVN chosen a more direct, conventional plan of attack. In fact, the most damaging blow of the entire PAVN campaign may have been the crushing psychological blow their skillful and unexpected strategy dealt to the mind of the ARVN's commander-in-chief.


1975 spring offensive, First steps, Phước Long
Phước Long was the northernmost provincial capital in III Corps, approximately 75 miles (121 km) northeast of Saigon. At the end of December 1974, the North Vietnamese CT-7 and 3rd Divisions, an independent infantry regiment, and armored, anti-aircraft, and heavy artillery support moved out of Cambodia to attack. The province was defended by five Regional Force battalions, 48 Popular Force platoons and four territorial artillery sections.


1975 spring offensive, First steps, Phước Long
From his headquarters at Biên Hòa, Lieutenant General Dư Quốc Đống, the III Corps commander, augmented this force by sending in the 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment of the 5th Division, two artillery sections, and three reconnaissance companies. The battle for the province began on 13 December when PAVN forces began to isolate Phước Long City's overland communications and eliminating static outposts. They then began to bombard Phước Long accurately with heavy artillery and launched a concerted armor/infantry ground attack on the 27th.


1975 spring offensive, First steps, Phước Long
Any counterattack or relief effort contemplated by the South Vietnamese was doomed by the thousands of refugees that took to the roads in order to escape the fighting. Desertion among ARVN units became common, as soldiers began disappearing from the ranks in search of family members. This pattern was to become too common as the offensive continued, not just among the territorial forces, but among the regular troops.


1975 spring offensive, First steps, Phước Long
On 2 January an emergency meeting was held at the Independence Palace in Saigon between President Thiệu, the Joint General Staff, and General Đống. At the meeting, Đống presented a plan for the relief of Phước Long that would have utilized either an infantry division or the Airborne Division.


1975 spring offensive, First steps, Phước Long
The plan was turned down for three reasons: first, there were simply no reserve forces of sufficient size available anywhere in the country for the task; second, with all overland routes in enemy hands, all movements and logistics would have to depend entirely on airlift, a capability that no longer existed; and third, despite advantageous defensive positions, the forces at Phước Long could not hold off two PAVN divisions long enough for any relief effort to succeed. The decision was then reached. Phước Long City and province would be surrendered to PAVN forces as a matter of expediency, since it was considered to be strategically less important than Tây Ninh, Pleiku, or Huế – economically, politically, and demographically.


1975 spring offensive, First steps, Phước Long
The fighting around Phước Long continued until 6 January 1975, after which the town became the first provincial capital permanently seized by PAVN. Of the more than 5,400 ARVN troops originally committed to the battle, only 850 returned to government lines. The PAVN captured 10,000 rounds of artillery ammunition. More important for the North Vietnamese was the apparent total indifference with which the U.S. regarded this loss. The psychological blow for the government and people of South Vietnam was severe. According to the chief of the ARVN General Staff, General Cao Văn Viên, "Almost gone was the hope that the United States would forcibly punish the North Vietnamese for their brazen violations of the cease-fire agreement ... What more encouragement could the communists have asked for?"


1975 spring offensive, First steps, Phước Long
Word of the fall of Phước Long reached the North Vietnamese Politburo in the midst of its Twenty-third Plenum, and the body immediately ordered the General Staff to develop a follow-up plan. The Politburo's assessment that the United States would not re-intervene in the war was proven correct, the weakness of the ARVN's defenses had been exposed, and, just as important, a solution to their most critical ammunition shortage – targeting and capturing ARVN artillery stocks – was found.


1975 spring offensive, First steps, Phước Long
Lê Duẩn declared that "Never have we had military and political conditions so perfect or a strategic advantage so great as we have now." The first target chosen was Duc Lap Camp, a border outpost in II Corp's Darlac Province. Once again, Trần Văn Trà's influence drove some members to propose a bolder plan: attack Buôn Ma Thuột, the provincial capital. This time, Lê Duẩn was reluctant to agree, that is until Lê Đức Thọ threw his weight behind the more radical strategy. General Dũng was ordered south to take direct command of the new offensive, which had been named Campaign 275.


1975 spring offensive, First steps, Campaign 275 (Central Highland campaign)
General Dũng already worked out a plan for taking Buôn Ma Thuột. Called the "blossoming lotus", the objective was to avoid outlying South Vietnamese positions and strike at the primary target first, "like a flower bud slowly opening its petals." The plan for the 75,000–80,000 PAVN troops participating in the campaign was first to isolate Buôn Ma Thuột by cutting Highways 14, 19 and 21, precluding any South Vietnamese reinforcement. The 320th Division was then to neutralize outposts to the north and seize the Phuong Duc Airfield. The mission of the 10th Division was to then conduct the main attack on the city along Route 14.


1975 spring offensive, First steps, Campaign 275 (Central Highland campaign)
Commanding his forces from Pleiku, Major General Phạm Văn Phú, the III Corps commander, was given adequate warnings of the impending North Vietnamese attacks, but they were not given serious consideration. Phú was deceived by an elaborate North Vietnamese communications charade and his belief that PAVN movements toward Buôn Ma Thuột were diversionary operations designed to distract him from the true objective, Pleiku. The defense of Buôn Ma Thuột, therefore, was entrusted to a single Ranger group and Popular and Regional Force units (approximately 4,000 men). They were augmented at the beginning of March by 53rd Regiment of the 23rd Division.


1975 spring offensive, First steps, Campaign 275 (Central Highland campaign)
The battle for Buôn Ma Thuột began on 10 March 1975. Preceded by an intense artillery bombardment, the 10th Division quickly pushed into the city and seized the ammunition depot. That evening the 316th Division entered the battle for the city center. On the 13th, the ARVN 44th Regiment, 23rd Division and a battalion of the 21st Ranger Group were helilifted to Phuoc An, 20 miles (32 km) east of Buôn Ma Thuột, to form a relief force for the beleaguered city. The column, advancing into the path of thousands of refugees and military dependents fleeing the highlands, soon encountered the 10th Division. The South Vietnamese attack disintegrated and the force then retreated, joining the civilian exodus.


1975 spring offensive, First steps, Campaign 275 (Central Highland campaign)
On 18 March the PAVN had taken Phuoc An, eliminating any hope of reaching Buôn Ma Thuột. Darlac Province in its entirety then fell under North Vietnamese control. ARVN forces began to rapidly shift positions in an attempt to keep the PAVN from quickly pushing eastward to the coastal lowlands. In the final analysis, the blame for the fall of the highlands lies with General Phú, who refused to act on sound intelligence and when he realized his error, it was too late to get reinforcements to the scene.


1975 spring offensive, First steps, Campaign 275 (Central Highland campaign)
Realising the weakened state of his army, President Thiệu sent a delegation to Washington in early March to request an increase in economic and military aid. U.S. Ambassador to South Vietnam Graham Martin, who believed additional aid would help the defense of the Republic, also made a trip to Washington to present the case to President Gerald R. Ford. The U.S. Congress, increasingly reluctant to divert money from economic recovery into what was seen as a lost cause, slashed a proposed $1.45 billion military aid package for 1975 to $700 million. The Ford administration, from the president on down, however, continued to encourage Thiệu in what the historian Arnold Isaacs called "the pipe dream that Congress would restore the funds it cut."


1975 spring offensive, First steps, Reassessments
President Thiệu felt increased pressure. He became, in the words of one of his closest advisors, "suspicious...secretive...and ever watchful for a coup d'état against him." His increasing isolation began denying him "the services of competent people, adequate staff work, consultation, and coordination." Thiệu's military decisions were followed faithfully by his officer corps, who generally agreed with General Viên, that "Thiệu made all the decisions how the war should be conducted."


1975 spring offensive, First steps, Reassessments
By 11 March, the day after Buôn Ma Thuột was attacked, Thiệu came to the conclusion there was no longer any hope of receiving a $300 million supplemental aid package he requested from the U.S. government. On that basis he called a meeting attended by Lieutenant General Đăng Văn Quang and General Viên. After reviewing the military situation, Thiệu pulled out a small-scale map of South Vietnam and discussed the possible redeployment of the armed forces to "hold and defend only those populous and flourishing areas which were most important."