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Vietnam Delcares Independence
history.com sourceSlide #15 - Background of U.S. Involvement in Vietnam WarOn September 2nd, 1945, Ho Chi Minh officially declared independence from France. This was important to American history because it was the very beginning of the Vietnam War, a war in which the United States got heavily involved and suffered greatly. -
Battle of Dien Bien Phu
Slide #15 - Background of U.S. Involvement in Vietnam WarWikepedia LinkBeginning on March 13th, 1954, and ending on May 7th, 1954, the Battle of Dien Bien Phu was the last major battle where France had control of France Indochina. After loosing this battle, France had to give up Vietnam. Additionally, this was important to American history because at this point in the Vietnam War, America giving aid to help cover about 75% of France's war effort. -
Geneva Accords
U.S. Foreign Policy SourceFollowing the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, the Geneva Accords was an agreement that acknolwedged that Vietnam was split into two separate territories. This agreement established the difference between North and South Vietnam. This was important to American history because the U.S. ended up choosing to fight alongside South Vietnam after the country split. -
Establishment of Viet Cong
Alpha History SourceOn December 20th, 1960, a political group fighting against the government in South Vietnam began formally calling themselves Viet Cong. This is important to American history because the United States ended up fighting the Viet Cong thorughout the entire Vietnam War. -
Battle of Ap Bac
SourceThe Battle of Ap Bac was the first major battle of the Vietnam War, ending on January 2, 1963. It is significant to American history because the U.S. aided South Vietnam in the battle and the U.S. began to get more invested in the war. -
Gulf of Tonkin Incident
Wikipedia SourceSlide 24 - Gulf of Tonkin Incident/Resolution (Aug '64)On August 1st, 1964, three North Vietnamese torpedo boats attacked the USS Maddox, resulting in a sea war where one U.S. ship got damaged, three North Vietnamese torpedo boats got damaged, and four North Vietnamese sailors died. This event was important to American history because it lead to the Gulf of Tonkin resolution, which allowed President Johnson to assist Southeast Asia countries considered to be threatened by communist aggression. -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
Wikepedia SourceSlide #24- Gulf of Tonkin Incident/Resolution (Aug '64)On August 10th, 1964, the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution became effective. This resolution was a way for President Johnson to deploy troops to South Vietnam since it gave him the authorization to aid members of the Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty in any way he thought best. This was important to American history because it allowed the United States to become quite involved in the Vietnam War. -
Camp Holloway Attack
Wikipedia SourceIn the early morning of February 7th, 1965, about 300 Viet Cong soldiers attacked the U.S. base at Camp Holloway. This was significant to American history because it caused President Johnson to respond with the Operation Flaming Dart attack on the Viet Cong, which was not nearly as influential as he was hoping it would be. The Camp Holloway Attack also lead to further U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. -
Vietnam Buddhist Lights Self on Fire
BBC SourceSlide 16 - Advisory Effort in Vietnam>As mentioned by Professor Bass, in the month of June of 1966, Buddhists began lighting themselves on fire as a form of self-sacrifice and a way to demand that the Vietnamese government, lead by Head of State General Nguyen van Thieu, resign. When Buddhist monk Quang Duc was photographed lighting himself on fire, the picture spread throughout the media and further contributed to the people of the United States seeking peace and not supporting the war. -
Tet Offensive
Slide #26 - Tet Offensive - 1968history.com source On January 31, 1968, General Vo Nguyen Giap led 70,000 soldiers of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV) to launch the Tet offensive, where DRV soldiers attacked over 100 towns and cities in South Vietnam. The United States and South Vietnam were able to recover and began to strike back. However, a few months later, President Johnson called the bombing to halt. This was important because it showed that the President of the U.S. was listening to the peopel and valued peace over war. -
My Lai Massacre
History SourceOn March 16, 1968, a group of American soldiers killed nearly 500 people in a South Vietnamese village called My Lai. This was important to American history because once U.S. citizens heard about how brutal the American soldiers had been towards the people of My Lai, they got even more involved in the anti-war movement taking place in the United States. -
Anti-War Protest
New York TimesDuring the Vietnam War, the citizens of the United States began to form anti-war protests, seaking peace and an end to the brutal violence. On November 15th, 1969, gathered in Washington D.C. to peacefully protest the Vietnam War and called for a withdrawal of American Troops. It was the largest protest in American history. -
End of the War
Future State SourceOn January 27th, 1973, all parties involved in the Vietnam War signed a cease-fire agreement. This is an important aspect of American history because, even though the United States was the only group to uphold their part of the cease-fire, it allowed the United States to finally send their soldiers home and stop fighting in the war.
