Photo from The White House Archives

Gerald R. Ford became U.S. President in 1974, when the Watergate scandal brought Nixon's resignation. Ford was already a prominent Republican, having occupied the leadership of the Republican minority in the House of Representatives. Nixon appointed Ford as his Vice President upon Spiro Agnew's resignation in 1973.

At the time of Ford's arrival to the White House, Vietnam was already a low priority for Congress and the Administration, which accounted, at least partially, for the substantial reduction of the aid to Saigon. It was during Ford's Presidency that Hanoi gained control of all Vietnam, thus ending the war.