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Battle of Dien Bien Phu
The Battle of Dien Bien Phu was the first battle that started the Cold War. This resulted in the the French being defeated, which was a tough start for the beginning of the war. -
Geneva Accords
Diplomats from about a hundred nations met at a conference in Geneva, Switzerland to discuss restoring peace in Indochina. The conference resulted in the production of the Geneva Accords, which seperated Vietnam into two zones, North Vietnam and South Vietnam. -
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact was an alliance treaty signed by eight states, run by the Soviet Union. It also included Albania, Poland, Romania, Hungary, East Germany, Czechoslavakia, and Bulgaria. -
Gulf of Tonkin Incident
The USS Maddox reports being attack by North Vietnamese detroyer ships. This was followed by another attack in the same area exactly two days later. -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
In reaction to the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, the U.S. Congress passed this resolution, which gave President Lyndon B. Johnson authority to use conventional military force in Southeast Asia, without Congress formally declaring war. -
First U.S. Troops Arrive in Vietnam
As part of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, President Lyndon B. Johnson decided to send the first U.S. military troops to Vietnam. -
Tet Offensive
North Vietnam conducted a series of surprise attacks on SOuth Vietnam against their military and civilian command and control centers. It was the largest military campaign in the Cold War, one which South Vietnam and their allies were not 100% prepared for. -
Nixon Orders First Troops Home
In what Nixon called "Vietnamization", South Vietnam became more capable to fight for themselves, which allowed the United States to pull away from the war and send troops back home. -
Nixon Announces that U.S. will attack Cambodia
President Nixon orders the U.S. troops, along with South Vietnam, will attack the communist sanctuaries in Cambodia after a change in the Cambodian government. -
Publishing of Pentagon Papers
The Pentagon Papers were confidential documents which were discovered by Daniel Ellsberg and published on the front page of the New York Times. They revealed that the United States had secretly attacked a wider range of area in Vietnam and kept it out of the eyes of both the public and Congress. -
Easter Offensive
North Vietnam conducted a military campaign against South Vietnam. The purpose of the attacks was to gain as much territory and cause as much damage as possible. -
The Paris Peace Accords
The intention of the Paris Peace Accords was to end the war altogether. However, it ended the U.S. military involvement and temporarily stopped fighting between the two zones of Vietnam. -
The Last U.S. Troops are Withdrawn
After engaging Vietnamization, President Nixon sends the last of the United States troops home form Vietnam. -
North Vietnam attacks South Vietnam
North Vietnam begins to set up for their final attack on South Vietnam. They manuever plan to completely take over Saigon, which will grant them victory. -
South Vietnam Surrenders
Very shortly after South Vietnam's leader resigned, North Vietnam launched their final attack on Saigon. They completely took over, which forced South Vietnam to surrender to the communist government. -
Vietnam Unifies
After South Vietnam surrenders to North Vietnam, the two zones unify into one communist government.
