15 Important Events Vietnam

JFK was elected president

Nov 8, 1960

He beat Nixon with 303 electoral votes, and he received 49.7% of the popular vote

Vietcong started operating in South Vietnam

1963

They traveled through the Ho Chi Minh Trail.Their goal was to overthrow the camouflaged colonial regime of the American imperialists.

President Diem is killed

Nov 2, 1963

He was assassinated in Ho Chi Minh City. Captain Nhu shot him in the head with a revolver.

Gulf of Tonkin Incident

Aug 2, 1964

Lyndon B. Johnson thought there was an attack, so he sent airstrikes. Turns out there was no attack and he sent airstrikes for no reason, and he tried to cover it up.

JFK was assassinated

Nov 22, 1964

JFK was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald at 12:30 during a parade. His wife was sitting right next to him.

Operation Rolling Thunder

Mar 2, 1965

This operation consisted of constant bombing from the US on North Vietnamese bases and troops.

Credibility Gap

1966

The credibility gap becomes more known and more of an issue to US citizens against the government.

Large Amount of Troops Brought to Vietnam

1966

General Westmoreland had brought to Vietnam and lead over 1 million troops. This is basically fully committing to this war by bringing over so many troops. A little over 5,000 U.S. troops are killed, which is a small number considering how many troops were there.

Tet Offensive

Jan 30, 1968

Tet Offensive a combined assault by Vietcong and the North Vietnamese on several US bases located throughout Vietnam.

My Lai Massacre

Mar 16, 1968

Commander William Calley and his platoon stumbled upon a village. They started shooting and raiding the village, men, women, and children were killed. The only reason that the raiding stopped was because a US helicopter pilot threatened to shoot them if they didn´t stop.

Conviction

Mar 18, 1969

Lt. Calley was convicted with murder. He was being convicted of murder because of the My Lai Massacre.

Ho Chi Minh Dies

Sep 2, 1969

Ho Chi Minh died of Congestive heart failure.

Vietnamization

Nov 3, 1969

The policy of vietnamization is that US troops train South Vietnamese to fight for themselves. Since US troops were going to pull out soon we had to train South Vietnamese soldiers. And the policy was announced by the secretary of defense.

Cease Fire

Jan 2, 1973

A treaty in Paris was signed to put a cease fire in order, to start to put an end to the violence in Vietnam.

North Vietnamese Victory

1975

North Vietnamese invade South after the South Vietnamese president surrenders, and they assume complete control over South Vietnam.