INTERNATIONAL PRESS SPEECH ON THE END OF THE VIETNAM WAR ON APRIL 30, 1975

Abstract

The end of the Vietnam War on April 30, 1975, was not only a crucial historical turning point for Vietnam but also attracted widespread international media attention. Using discourse analysis combined with qualitative content analysis of articles published in American and Western newspapers such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, Le Monde, and news agencies like Reuters and Associated Press between April 29 and May 5, 1975, this paper aims to analyze how international media constructed discourse about this event. The results show that international media formed four main discourse groups: discourse about "the collapse," discourse about "American failure," humanitarian discourse, and discourse within the context of the Cold War. There are distinct differences among news outlets in their approach to this event: American newspapers tend to approach it from an internal perspective, European newspapers lean towards historical and political analysis, while international news agencies emphasize narrative and relative neutrality. Based on this, the article asserts that journalism not only reflects events but also actively participates in the process of constructing historical meaning through specific discourse frameworks. The research contributes to clarifying the role of media in shaping global perceptions of the Vietnam War, while also opening up an interdisciplinary approach between history and media in the study of modern historical events