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The Vietnam War
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The Geneva Accords divide Vietnam in half at the 17th parallel
At Geneva Conference, French and Ho Chi Minh's Communists sign Indochina Truce Accords which, among other measures, partition Vietnam into North Vietnam and South Vietnam at the 17th Parallel. The accords call for national elections to be held throughout Vietnam within two years to reunify the country. An International Control Commission is set up to supervise compliance with the Agreements. -
JFK and Ngo Dinh Diem meet
Following a meeting between South Vietnam's President Diem and Kennedy, the United States agrees to increase the number of American advisors in Vietnam from 340 to 805. The commitment places the prestige of the Kennedy Adminstration behind the efforts in Vietnam. -
Diem Overthrown
South Vietnam's President Diem is overthrown in a military coup. The coup takes place with the tacit approval of the United States. Diem was killed during the coup, despite assurances that he would not be. The United States had hoped that by overthrowing the unpopular Diem, it could strengthen the opposition to the communist Viet Cong. -
President Johnson declares he will not "lose Vietnam" during a meeting with Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge in Washington.
President Lyndon Johnson declares he will not "lose Vietnam," and by year's end, there are 16,300 U.S. advisers in South Vietnam. -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
A joint resolution which the United States Congress passed on August 7, 1964 in response to a sea battle between the North Vietnamese Navy's Torpedo Squadron 135 and the destroyer USS Maddox on August 2 and an alleged second naval engagement between North Vietnamese boats and the US destroyers USS Maddox and USS Turner Joy on August 4 in the Tonkin Gulf. Both naval actions are known collectively as the Gulf of Tonkin Incident. -
Operation Rolling Thunder Begins
The U.S. launches Rolling Thunder, in which 100 U.S. Air Force planes and 60 South Vietnamese planes bomb North Vietnam. These are the first air raids against North Vietnam that are not in direct retaliation for Communist attacks. Rolling Thunder continues on and off from 1965 to 1968. In all, the U.S. flies 304,000 fighter bomber sorties and 2,380 B-52 bomber sorties over North Vietnam, loses 922 aircraft and drops 634,000 tons of bombs. -
Massive anti-war demonstrations held in the U.S.
Massive demonstrations are held throughout the US against the war. Protestors in New York City's Central Park, burn 200 draft cards. -
MyLai Massacre
A unit of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion 20th Infantry, slaughter between 200 and 500 unarmed villagers in the hamlet of My Lai. Led by Lieutenant William Calley, the platoon is ordered to enter the village firing. -
President Nixon stuns Americans by announcing U.S. and South Vietnamese incursion into Cambodia
President Nixon stuns Americans by announcing a U.S. and South Vietnamese incursion into Cambodia in response to continuing Communist gains against Lon Nol's forces. The incursion is and is also intended to weaken overall NVA military strength as a prelude to U.S. departure from Vietnam.
