What year did the Vietnam War end?

The story behind the answer

1975 is correct because the Vietnam War effectively ended on April 30, 1975, when North Vietnamese forces captured Saigon, prompting the unconditional surrender of South Vietnam. Although the U.S. withdrew most combat troops after the 1973 Paris Peace Accords, fighting between North and South continued until Saigon’s fall.

Iconic images of 1975 include helicopter evacuations from rooftops and frantic departures from the U.S. Embassy—powerful markers of the war’s conclusion. A year later, North and South Vietnam were formally reunified as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Memory tip: think “’75—Saigon’s fall ends the fight.” The other dates reflect different moments: 1969