White Christmas

Song Name: White Christmas

Year of Release: 1942

Written By: Irving Berlin

Released by: Bing Crosby

Key Lyrics: N/A (the song was used as a strategic signal, so its lyrics are not directly associated with the war)

Description: White Christmas was extremely famous even before the war, as it won the Academy Award for Best Original Song after being included in the 1942 film Holiday Inn. However, its link with the war comes not because it reflected the mood of the people back home or because people used it as a form of protest, but because it was used in Operation Frequent Wind, the evacuation of American personnel from South Vietnam towards the end of the war. Specifically, the song was used on the radio as a signal to Americans that the evacuation was about to begin. 

Why It Was Important: The song was already famous at the time and widely known among Americans, so it was easy to remember as a signal. Evacuation manuals given to American personnel reminded them that the person on the radio would say, "The temperature in Saigon is 105 degrees and rising," before playing the song to signal the start of the evacuation. At the time, a helicopter airlift was the sole viable option for an evacuation since landing in Saigon was impossible and sea lanes were blocked. Though initially only intended to evacuate American citizens, the operation eventually evacuated thousands of South Vietnamese people and other foreign nationals who were at risk of retribution from the North Vietnamese government (which entered Saigon later that day). Many foreigners, afraid they wouldn't recognize the song, asked Americans to sing or hum the song to them the day before the planned evacuation. 

Recordings:

White Christmas (1947 Version) (studio version)

White Christmas (Official Video) (music video)