Escape from Saigon - Morris, Michael

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Résumé :
Few thirty-day periods in history have been more tumultuous than the fall of Saigon in April of 1975. With US military now gone for two years, the North Vietnamese Army routed South Vietnam's forces, resulting in thousands of refugees pouring into the former colonial capital. The world watched and waited for what many expected would be a bloodbath. Escape from Saigon follows various people trapped in the besieged city. Among them are a former GI attempting to rescue his Vietnamese wife's terrified relatives; a Vietnamese-American television reporter whose conflicted heritage threatens her future; an American businessman risking his life to smuggle out his employees; and the last remaining US diplomatic personnel in Saigon, including the ambassador, military liaisons, and CIA operatives. The NVA onslaught is spearheaded by two officers-one intent on maintaining military restraint, the other bent on revenge and will sweep up families, friends, and comrades in this final chapter of a war that has already taken millions of lives. Escape from Saigon is a story of a city and its inhabitants struggling to survive in its most desperate hours-a tale that stays true to the historic record while recounting moments of human hardship, courage, and triumph--

Biographie:
Michael Morris first saw Vietnam as a nineteen-year-old infantry sergeant in 1967-68. He served in the Northern I Corps region during some of the war's fiercest fighting, including the Tet Offensive, earning a Purple Heart for wounds received in combat. Afterward, he made a career of journalism as a newspaper reporter, magazine editor, and freelance writer.

Dick Pirozzolo served in Vietnam in 1970-71 as an Air Force information officer in Saigon, where he was as an Air Force media spokesperson and regularly participated at the daily press briefings nicknamed The Five O'clock Follies.” He developed a lasting affection for Vietnam and its people, later helping to foster international business relationships and playing a prominent role in the country's eventual reconciliation with the US. Dick still maintains ties to Vietnam and serves on the Editorial Board of the Boston Global Forum, a think tank focused on peace initiatives that include fostering cultural, commercial, and political ties with Vietnam.