In late 1973, the cease fire was broken by the sending of 18
divisions from North Vietnam into the south. This, in time, would
become one of the worst blood baths of the war. This continued
through 1975, when the enemy came to be in near Saigon, and elements
of the underground political opposition came into the open and held
meetings to voice their antigovernment feelings. The government moved
in and on March 27 1975, arrested a number of poeple suspected of
plotting a coup. On April 2 1975, the South Vietnamese Senate even
adopted a resolution holding President Thieu personnally responseable
for the detiorating situation and asking him to take immediate steps
to form a broader cabinet. It was speculated that to save what they
could, the government should send a plenipotentiary to Paris and ask
the Fench governmentto act as official intermediary in negotiations to
be conducted with the Communists. But President Thieu appeared only
Demands that President Thieu should resign and transfer his
powers at once to General Duong Van Minh were resurrected in earnest.
A coalition government led by General Minh, it was said, stood a
better chance of being accepted by the Communists; if so, more
bloodshed could be averted. On Monday April 21, during a meeting at
Independance Palace, President Thieu announced his decision to step
down. He inferred that the United States wanted him to resign, and
whether or not he consented, certain generals would press for a
replacement. As required by the Constitution of South Vietnam, he was
prepared to transfer the presidency to Vice President Tran Van Huong.
Finally, he asked the armed forces and the national police to fully
support the new president. In the evening of April 21, 1975, the
televised transfer of power ceremony took place at Independance
Palace. After President Huong took over, he immediatly wen...