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Defeat of French Colonial Administration
The French command post at Dien Bien Phu was occupied by Vietnamese forces. After a battle that lasted 55 days, the French commander ordered his troops to cease fire. This victory by the Vietnamese ended France's resolve to carry on the war. -
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Vietnam War
This is the span of the vietnam war from the flee of the French from Vietnam to the last men killed in the war -
Geneva Accords signed
The Geneva Accords included the French, Vietnamese, Laotian, and Cambodian representatives and began on May 8, 1954. The agreement was finally signed on July 21 and provisioned for a cease-fire line along the 17th parallel. Each side was given 300 days to withdraw its troops to its side of the line, for the communist troops and guerrillas to evacuate Laos and Cambodia, and finally for free elections to be held in 1955. -
First American aid arrives
After President John F. Kennedy ordered U.S. help in the form of 3,000 military advisors, support personnel, and new equipment in order to help the South Vietnamese government in its war against the Vietcong guerrillas, American helicopters and 400 U.S. personnel arrive at docks in South Vietnam. -
Operation Ranch Hand
The objective of this operation was to clear vegetation in hopes of making it difficult for the Vietcong to ambush. Agent Orange is used to expose roads and trails used by Vietcong forces. This will end in 1971 after spraying approximately 11 million gallons of Agent Orange and laying to waste more than one seventh of the country's total area. -
President Johnson authorizes Operation Rolling Thunder
On February 13, 1965, President Johnson authorized Operation Rolling Thunder. This war strike was bombing offensive that would be limited but long lasting. The purpose was to attempt to force North Vietnam to stop supporting Vietcong guerrillas in the South. -
First bombing raid of Rolling Thunder
The first bombing raids of Rolling Thunder are flown after a series of delay. -
Peace Offer Rejected
North Vietnam is offered economic aid in exchange for peace. North Vietnam rejects the offer. This leads to President Johnson raising America's combat strength as well as Korea and Australia being added as Allied forces. -
Operation Crimp
Operation Crimp is launched by the U.S. Almost 8,000 troops are deployed, making it the largest American operation of the war. The operation was in hopes of capturing the Vietcong's headquarters for the Saigon area. However, American forces failed to locate any significant Vietcong base. -
End of Operation Rolling Thunder
Operation Rolling Thunder ends after three-and-a-half years. It cost 900 American aircraft, 818 pilots, and hundreds in captivity. Nearly 120 Vietnamese planes were destroyed, 182,000 North Vietnamese civilians were killed, and 20,000 Chinese support personnel deaths, -
President Nixon innagurated
Nixon is innagurated as the new President of the United States and promises to achieve "Peace With Honor." Nixon wants to negotiate a settlement that will allow a half million of U.S. troops in Vietnam to be withdrawn. -
Operation Menu
A U.S. strategic air command bombing campaign that was performed in eastern Cambodia and Laos until May 26,1970, The attacks target Base Areas and sanctuaries of the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and forces of the Viet Cong. These bases and sancutaries were used for resupply, training, and resting between battle campaigns by North Korea. -
Nixon withdraws 25,000 troops
South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu and President Nixon meet on Midway Island. 25,000 U.S. troops are announced to be withdrawn immediately. -
Peace talks resumed
The United States and North Vietnam resume peace talks in Paris. -
Cease Fire signed
All warring parties in the Vietnam War sign a cease fire in Paris. -
South Vietnam's third largest city falls
South Vietnam's third largest city (Hue) falls to the North Vietnamese Army. -
Last soldiers killed in Vietnam War
Two U.S. soldiers are killed in a rocket attack at Saigon's Tan Son Nhut airport at 4:03 am. By sunrise, the last soldiers guarding the U.S. embassy lift off from Vietnam. A few hours later, North Vietnamese tanks role into Saigon and officially ended the war.
