before gerald ford gave that speech while 7,000 people a day were being flown out of the air base. south vietnam's president thieu resigned from office, handing over the office to the vice president. he gave a two-hour resignation speech attacking the united states government that had been propping him up for years. the completely oblivious said he believed president thieu's resignation would lead to a negotiation with north vietnam that would save saigon, then the capitol of vietnam, save saigon from attack. president forward mentioned none of that. the third president that week,