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Getting Out of Saigon
How a 27-Year-Old Banker Saved 113 Vietnamese Civilians
By Ralph White
Read by Mark Bramhall
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About The Book
A “captivating” (The Washington Post) true story of “courage, resolve, and determination” (The Christian Science Monitor), author Ralph White’s successful effort to save nearly the entire staff of the Saigon branch of Chase Manhattan bank and their families before the city fell to the North Vietnamese Army.
In April 1975, Ralph White was asked by his boss to transfer from the Bangkok branch of the Chase Manhattan Bank to the Saigon Branch. He was tasked with closing the branch if and when it appeared that Saigon would fall to the North Vietnamese army and ensure the safety of the senior Vietnamese employees.
But when he arrived, he realized the situation in Saigon was far more perilous than he had imagined. The senior staff members there urged him to evacuate the entire staff of the branch and their families, which was far more than he was authorized to do. Quickly he realized that no one would be safe when the city fell, and it was no longer a question of whether to evacuate but how.
Getting Out of Saigon is an “edge-of-your-seat” (Oprah Daily) story of a city on the eve of destruction and the colorful characters who respond differently to impending doom. It’s a remarkable account of one man’s quest to save innocent lives not because he was ordered but because it was the right thing to do.
In April 1975, Ralph White was asked by his boss to transfer from the Bangkok branch of the Chase Manhattan Bank to the Saigon Branch. He was tasked with closing the branch if and when it appeared that Saigon would fall to the North Vietnamese army and ensure the safety of the senior Vietnamese employees.
But when he arrived, he realized the situation in Saigon was far more perilous than he had imagined. The senior staff members there urged him to evacuate the entire staff of the branch and their families, which was far more than he was authorized to do. Quickly he realized that no one would be safe when the city fell, and it was no longer a question of whether to evacuate but how.
Getting Out of Saigon is an “edge-of-your-seat” (Oprah Daily) story of a city on the eve of destruction and the colorful characters who respond differently to impending doom. It’s a remarkable account of one man’s quest to save innocent lives not because he was ordered but because it was the right thing to do.
About The Reader
Why We Love It
“I vividly remember the Fall of Saigon at the end of April, 1975. But I have never read a story like this one. Ralph White had a unique perspective on these events, trying as he was to evacuate 113 people who were not on any official evacuation list. The writing is superb and the sense of impending disaster lends this memoir of those events a sense of drama that was all too real and beautifully communicated in the book.”
—Bob B., VP, Executive Editor, on Getting Out of Saigon
Product Details
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio (April 4, 2023)
- Runtime: 9 hours and 58 minutes
- ISBN13: 9781797142203
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- Book Cover Image (jpg): Getting Out of Saigon Unabridged Audio Download 9781797142203
- Author Photo (jpg): Ralph White Photograph by P. Decker(0.1 MB)
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