On April 30, 1975, the Communist capture of the city of Saigon brought an end to more than 20 years of war in Vietnam. The end of the war reunified a divided nation—and changed the course of global politics, military strategy, and international relations for decades to come.

In the six lectures of The Fall of Saigon: The Vietnam War 50 Years in Review, historian Edward G. Lengel takes you back to the final years of the long and complex conflict that ravaged the small Southeast Asian nation of Vietnam and bled disastrously into surrounding countries, altering the region forever. Debates over the war and its aftermath still rage on half a century beyond the tragic moments of its end. As Dr. Lengel reflects on an array of topics—from foreign and domestic policy in the Nixon administration to North Vietnamese negotiating tactics to the evacuation of Saigon and the personal experiences of Vietnamese refugees. In this course, you’ll gain new insight into the factors that have shaped our perceptions of the conflict in Vietnam. You’ll also see how these perceptions still color current debates on everything from freedom of the press and immigration to the limits and extent of presidential power.

As we look back into the past, there are certain moments that stand out clearly as turning points in the course of history. As you trace the events leading up to the dramatic final days of the Vietnam War, The Fall of Saigon will immerse you in one such defining moment of the 20th century—a moment that has left an indelible imprint on our collective memory.