Events Occurring During the Vietnam War in the U.S. and Abroad

Events Occurring During the Vietnam War in the U.S. and Abroad

Period: Jan 1, 1945 to Dec 31, 1980

The First Indochina War

Dec 19, 1946

Abroad
Impact: Political
U.S. supported France; continued for nearly 8 years; French rule over Vietnam ended at the Battle of Dienbienphu

Geneva Conference: Vietnam Divided

Jul 20, 1954

Abroad
Impact: Political
Vietnam became North Vietnam and South Vietnam; North Vietnam ruled by communist Ho Chi Minh and South Vietnam governed by Ngo Dinh Diem; U.S. supported South

South Vietnamese Armed Revolt Against Diem

Nov 11, 1960

Abroad
Impact: Political
Guerillas had a campaign of terror against places under Diem’s control; North Vietnam gave weapons to the guerillas and came to be the Vietcong

JFK Assassination

Nov 22, 1963

At home
Impact: Social
Vietnam became the responsibility of the new president Lyndon B. Johnson

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

Aug 7, 1964

At home
Impact: Social
Altered the U.S. role in Vietnam
President Johnson wanted to stage air strikes against the N. Vietnam and this resolution backed his actions

Vietcong Attack U.S. Base at Pleiku

Feb 7, 1965

Abroad
Impact: Political
President Johnson responded by ordering a series of air strikes against North Vietnam; Campaign of U.S. bombing went on for three years

Protecting the American Air Base

Feb 22, 1965

Abroad
Impact: Political
In Da Nang and the U.S.; 3,500 Marines were ordered to protect American air base; the first American combat troops went into Vietnam

The Election of 1968

Jan 20, 1968

At home
Impact: Political
Nixon won; knew the U.S. didn’t support the war; wanted to get the troops out of Vietnam

The Tet Offensive

Jan 31, 1968

Abroad
Impact: Political
North Vietnam attacks South Vietnam; Set in motion a sequence of events that marked the turning point of the war; major blow to U.S. in Vietnam

Vietnamization

Jan 20, 1969

Abroad
Impact: Political
U.S. troops gradually withdrew from Vietnam and South Vietnam assumed the U.S. role of fighting the war; Nixon later expanded the war into Cambodia

Apollo 11 Mission

Jul 20, 1969

At home
Impact: Social
Great U.S. success in space exploration; achieved Kennedy’s goal of getting an American on the moon by 1970

Kent State University Shooting

May 4, 1970

At home
Impact: Social
An antiwar demonstration; National Guardsmen opened fire on a protesting crowd, killing four students

The 26th Amendment

Mar 23, 1971

At home
Impact: Political
Lowered the voting age to 18 after many argued that if 18-year-olds could fight and die in the war, they should be able to vote

The Pentagon Papers Released

Jun 13, 1971

At home
Impact: Political
Undermined the citizen’s trust in the government and its leaders; showed that the government had concealed its actions from the American citizens

Nixon Pursues Détente

May 22, 1972

At home
Impact: Social
Showed the U.S. was willing to ease relations; U.S. and Soviet Union signed SALT

The Watergate Scandal

Jun 17, 1972

At home
Impact: Political
Country lost faith and trust in Nixon and the government; Nixon realized many were against him and he resigned on August 4, 1974

Paris Peace Accords Signed

Jan 27, 1973

Abroad
Impact: Political
Last U.S. troops out of Vietnam; Allowed North Vietnam to keep 150,000 troops in the South and a cease fire went into effect; the war was over

Vietnam War Effects On the U.S.

Mar 23, 1973

At home
Impact: Political, Social, and Economical
U.S. lost 58,000 people; Debt of $200 billion hurt U.S. economy for years afterward; undermined the U.S. trust in its government and leaders

North Vietnamese Troops Enter Saigon

Apr 30, 1975

Abroad
Impact: Political
South Vietnam surrendered and Vietnam was now united under a communist government; Saigon became Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam War Effects on Vietnam

Apr 30, 1975

Abroad
Impact: Political and Social
South Vietnam lost 350,000 and North Vietnam lost between 500,000 and one million people; bombing destroyed the North Vietnamese industry and transportation; boat people were desperate to escape the new government