The Vietnam War - 1954-1980

Battle of Dien Bien Phu Begins

Mar 13, 1954

www.history.com/topics/battle-of-dien-bien-phu
The Vietminh commander Vo Nguyen Giap had help from the Chinese to set up an attack at Beatrice where the French, who took over Vietnam, and took it over in a matter of hours and Annabelle in matter of days that hindered the French's airfield advantage. Also, the communist puppets would control Vietnam with no further delay with China and the Soviet Union helping.

Vietnam War

Period: Mar 13, 1954 to Aug 15, 1975

Geneva Convention Agreements Announced

Jul 20, 1954

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/geneva-conference-begins
After the efforts of the French to try and get back Dien Bien Phu, the Geneva convention of 1954 showed that Vietnam was to be dealt with an agreement that the French would leave and there would be a new boundary called the 17th parallel till a new president was to be elected. This was a disaster decision as no foreign armies could go to the aid of Vietnam for 2 years since Ho Chi Minh, a communist, would be elected president.

Ngo Dinh Diem Becomes president of Reupublic of Vietnam (South)

Oct 26, 1955

http://www.biography.com/people/ngo-dinh-diem-39809
Ngo Dinh Diem becomes president of the south side of Vietnam in a rigged election. He was known for his anti-communism beliefs and made him the popular candidate for the south that didn't want to be under rule of communisim.

John F. Kennedy becomes president of the U.S.

Nov 8, 1960

With the already tensioned with the North and South Vietnam butting heads with each other, former president Eisenhower gives the reigns to newbie Kennedy to try and find peace. With still no troop involvment in Vietnam from the U.S., Kennedy sends only support through training and weapons like Eisenhower.

Bay of Pigs Battle in Cuba Starts and Fails

Apr 17, 1961

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_of_Pigs_Invasion
Communism was spreading everywhere, and Cuba was one of the countries fighting to become communists and had succeeded in 1959 with Fidel Castro as there ruler. Kennedy sent a brigade to overthrow Castro's governement and failed to contain communism as Vietnam was trying to fight to stop it.

President Kennedy is Assassinated

Nov 23, 1963

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_John_F._Kennedy
President Kennedy, someone who wanted to bring the war to peace is killed and is leaving the mess of the Vietnam War to Johnson to take care of what the U.S. left off with support.

Johnson signs Civil Rights Act

Jul 2, 1964

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Rights_Act_of_1964
Even though the war wasn't getting started for the U.S. in Vietnam, back home there was movements for civil rights for African-Americans being waged that took a lot of Johnson's and other presidents time. With this Act, Johnson took the step forward to equality for all.

Gulf of Tonkin Incident

Aug 2, 1964

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_of_Tonkin_incident
North Vietnamese boats torpedo U.S. fighter boat the U.S.S. Maddox making it the first direct attac on the U.S. President Johnson then has no problem declaring war on the North and sending direct troops to the battlefield.

President Johnson beats Republican Barry Goldwater in Election

Nov 3, 1964

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_1964President Johnson wins by a landslide securing his position to keep on waging war on Vietnam, and to try and make the morale of the people to be under him.

Martin Luther King Jr.'s "A Time To Break Silence" Speech

Apr 4, 1967

http://www.antiwar.com/orig/bromwich.php?articleid=12844
MLK took it upon himself to speak what the nation was thinking about the involvment of the U.S. in Vietnam and talks about how it shouldn't even be a thing since it is unesccesary and isn't what the nation wants.

My Lai Massacre

Mar 16, 1968

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Lai_Massacre
Run by Lieutenant William Calley Jr., this was one of the most shocking stories about the Vietnam War the U.S. was involved in and only fueled anti-war convictions to get out of Vietnam when it was known in November that year.

Richard Nixon becomes president

Nov 5, 1968

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/nixon-wins-presidential-election
Richard Nixon becomes president after a complete landslide of an election promising an end to the involvement in Vietnam and foreign affairs.

Paris Peace Accords and Signing of Peace in Vietnam

Jan 27, 1973

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_Peace_Accords
An agreement that there will be peace to come to the Vietnam War was signed saying involvement was to be ceased thus ceasing the involvement of the U.S. in Vietnam. However we left South Vietnam to suffer alone.

Gerald Ford becomes president after Watergate Scandal

Aug 9, 1974

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watergate_scandal
After the WAtergate Scandal involving President Nixon, Nixon stepped down as president and most of his party stepped down as well leading to a Democrat Congress that inforced the no funding of Vietnam anymore.

The Fall of Siagon

Apr 30, 1975

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_Saigon
Even though this was not the main "end" of the war, the North Vietnamese took over Siagon and defeated the South tremendously as they had no support from the powerhouse U.S. compared to the North's support of China and the then Soviet Union.