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French Indochina
Until August 1945 Vietnam was part of French Indochina, a French colony. -
Vietnam's Independence
Vietnam declared its independence and Japan formally surrendered to the allies. -
French Warships
French warships opened fire on the port city of Haiphong, killing 6,000 Vietnamese civilians. -
Communism
Thousands of U.S. soldiers had already died in Korea trying to stop the spread of communism. -
80%
United States was paying 80 percent of the cost of the war in Indochina. -
Geneva Accords
The French and Viet Minh signed the Geneva Accords. -
Eisenhower's Warning
Eisenhower warned if Vietnam fell to communism, South Asia would fall. -
Battle of Dien Bien Phu
The battle of Dien Bien Phu ended and French morale was shattered. -
Ho Chi Minh
Ho Chi Minh declared himself president of South Vietnam. -
National Elections
National elections to reunify Vietnam were scheduled for 1956. -
National Liberation Front
Viet Minh formed a group and invited all opponents of Diem to join. -
Kennedy
Kennedy became President -
Buddhist Rally
At a Buddhist rally opposing Diemś policies, South Vietnamese police killed nine demonstrators. -
Johnson
Johnson approved covert attacks on radar stations along North Vietnamś coast -
NVA
In response to the raids, NVA patrol boats struck back. -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution -
U.S. Marines
About 3,500 U.S. marines waded ashore at a beach near Da Nang South Vietnam -
Anticommunist leader
United States put an anticommunist South Vietnam leader named Ngo Dinh Diem in charge