1vestalvietnam

Dien Bien Phu

May 7, 1954

Battle between Vietnamese troops and French troops at the command post in Dien Bien Phu.The battle last 55 days.
Vietnamese ultimately won

Creation of the Ho Chi Minh trail

Dec 1, 1959

North Vietnamese Army create a supply route from North Vietnam to Vietcong forces in South Vietnam.The Vietnamese Army develops a route along the Vietnamese/Cambodian border known as the Ho Chi Minh trail

Untied States becomes actively involved

Nov 28, 1961

The U.S gives help to the South Vietnamese government buy supplying more equipment in the war against the Vietcong guerrillas.

Operation Rangeland

Feb 8, 1962

Operation Rangeland was to clear vegetation alongside highways, making it more difficult for the Vietcong to hide themselves from ambushes.

Gulf of Tonkin Attack

Jul 30, 1964

South Vietnamese commandos attack two small North Vietnamese islands in the Gulf of Tonkin.

Gulf of Tonkin Resoultion

Aug 7, 1964

The U.S. congress passes the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, giving President Johnson the power to take whatever actions necessary to defend southeast Asia.

Rolling Thunder Begins

Feb 13, 1965

U.S. launches Rolling Thunder, in which 100 U.S. Air Force planes and 60 South Vietnamese planes bomb North Vietnam. Rolling Thunder continues on and off from 1965 to 1968.

US offers peace for economic aid proposal

Apr 7, 1965

\The U.S. offers North Vietnam economic aid in exchange for peace, but the offer is summarily rejected

President Johnson commites over 60,000 troops to Vietnam

Apr 7, 1965

President Johnson raises America's combat strength in Vietnam to more than 60,000 troops

First major battle of Vietnam War for American Unites

Aug 17, 1965

American army launches Operation Starlite, when the 1st Vietcong regiment reveals that an attack is against the US Maine base at Chu Lai.
United States gets victory

Operation Junction City

Feb 22, 1967

Operation Junction City was an 82-day military operation organized by United States and Republic of Vietnam. It was the largest U.S. operation of the war.

Khe Sanh attacked by Vietcong

Jan 21, 1968

At 5:30 a.m., the Vietcong Units attack the Marine base at Khe Sanh. Eighteen Marines are killed instantly, 40 are wounded. The initial attack continues for two days.

Tet Offensive begins

Jan 31, 1968

On Vietnamese national holiday Tet, Vietcong units attack more than 100 cities and town.

My Lai massacre

Mar 16, 1968

In My Lai, U.S. Charlie Company kills about two hundred civilians. One member of the division is tried and found guilty of war crimes, reprocautions are taken by the army

Nixon takes Office

Jan 20, 1969

President Richard M. Nixon takes office as the new President of the United States. With regard to Vietnam, he promises to achieve "Peace With Honor." His aim is to negotiate a settlement that will allow the half million U.S. troops in Vietnam to be withdrawn, while still allowing South Vietnam to survive.

Operation Menu

Mar 18, 1969

Nixon authorizes Operation Menu, the bombing of North Vietnamese and Vietcong bases within Cambodia.

All but 133,000 US troops have come home

Jan 1, 1972

Only 133,000 U.S. servicemen remain in South Vietnam. Two thirds of America's troops have gone home in two years.

Peace talks resume

Dec 13, 1972

Peace talks between the North Vietnamese and the Americans breakdown, in Paris

Peace talks break down

Jan 8, 1973

North Vietnam and the United States resume peace talks in Paris.

Cease fire signed

Jan 27, 1973

All warring parties in the Vietnam War sign a cease fire.

Nixon Resigns

Aug 9, 1974

President Richard M. Nixon resigns, leaving South Vietnam without its strongest advocate.

Last casulties for the US and final evacuation

Apr 30, 1975

Two U.S. Marines are killed in Saigon's Tan Son Nhut airport. They are the last Americans to die in the Vietnam War. North Vietnamese tanks role into Saigon, ending the war.