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Gulf of Tonkin Incident
A U.S. war craft was attacked while helping South Vietnam. This gave President Lyndon B. Johnson the leeway needed to influence Congress to vote to physically support South Vietnam.
Bass, J. (2016, September 10). The Soul of a Superpower-Postwar United States (1945-1970). Lecture. -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
President Lyndon B. Johnson, along with the support of Congress, deploys 80,000 U.S. troops in South Vietnam to aid in their civil war efforts. This is significant because it involves the U.S. in a civil war against communism.
Bass, J. (2016, September 10). The Soul of a Superpower-Postwar United States (1945-1970). Lecture. -
The Beginning of Protests
The Students for a Democratic Society began publicly protesting the Vietnam war in response to Operation Rolling Thunder. This is significant because these protests are what wear down morale on U.S. soil and begin to make people question the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam war.
[http://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/vietnam-war-protests] -
Operation Rolling Thunder Begins
This military operation was a series of air attacks on North Vietnam in an effort to weaken North Vietnam and bring morale of South Vietnam. However, it is important because it is ineffective and brings heavy criticism as well as lower war morale to Johnson's administration as well as the troops in South Vietnam.
[http://thevietnamwar.info/operation-rolling-thunder/] -
"Search and Destroy" Missions
Military "Search and Destroy" Missions began in an effort to wear down the North Vietnam military. This is significant because it is another failed military attempt by the United States.
[http://thevietnamwar.info/search-destroy-misconception/] -
Martin Luther King Jr.'s Protest
Martin Luther King Jr. protested the Vietnam war publicly, creating more of an acceptance to protesting as well as a larger following.
[http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/martin-luther-king-jr-speaks-out-against-the-war] -
Tet Offensive
During a holliday, South Vietnam and American forces were suprisingly attacked by North Vietnam troops. Although this event was eventually a win for America, it brought the brutality of the war home to the U.S. which caused protests to grow.
[https://history.state.gov/milestones/1961-1968/tet] -
Talks of Peace in Paris
The U.S., South Vietnam, and North Vietnam governments met in Paris, France to begin discussing peace treaties. Although this becomes a long and tedious process, it causes America to begin it's "Vientnamization process."
[http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/honor/peopleevents/e_paris.html] -
Nixon's "Vietnamization Process"
Nixon begins to give the war over to South Vietnam by pulling troops out and only supporting South Vietnam with supplies and training.
[http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/honor/peopleevents/e_paris.html] -
Invasion of Cambodia
South Vietnam and the U.S. invade Cambodia to destroy suppliers of the Viet Cong. This causes tension in America and more questions begin to surface about the Vietnam War.
[http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/nixon-defends-invasion-of-cambodia] -
Protest Deaths
During a protest of the Vietnam war, 28 officers fired at college students at Kent State University, killing 4 of them. This event created anger and resentment that reverberated around the country.
[http://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/kent-state] -
Pentagon Papers
Confedential papers were leaked by Daniel Ellsberg that described top secret information regarding the United States involement in the Vietnam war. This fueled citizen anger as the truth about the reasoning behind going to war was published.
[http://thevietnamwar.info/pentagon-papers/] -
Paris Peace Accords Signed
A peace treaty was signed by the United States, bringing the end of their involvement in the Vietnam war.
[http://thevietnamwar.info/what-was-paris-peace-accords/] -
American Troops Return Home
The remaining troops in Vietnam are brought back to th U.S., concluding the physical involvement in the Vietnam war.
[http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/u-s-withdraws-from-vietnam] -
Congress Forbids More U.S. Involvement
As fighting continues in Vietnam, Congress forbids the United States from entering Vietnam to help in any way through theCongressional Restrictions on U.S. Military Operations
in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Somalia, and Kosovo:
Funding and Non-Funding Approaches document. [https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL33803.pdf]
