-
Beginning of Vietnam War
This marks the beginnins of the Vietnam war. The war was between North Vietnam and its southern allies and South Vietnam and the United States. -
Period: to
Vietnam War
-
South Vietnam Declaration
South Vietnam declares itself the Republic of Vietnam. Ngo Dinh Diem was the new elected president. -
French leave Vietnam
The French leave Vietnam. The French had previously declared Vietnam a free state within the French union. The French had placed troops in the North until 1956 ehrn they left Vietnam. -
Terrorist Bombings
There were terrorist bombings in Saigon. 13 Americans are wounded due to these bombings. -
South Vietnam President Executed
Ngo Dinh Diem, the South Vietnamese president is executed. -
JFK Assasination
President Kennedy was assasinate in Dallas. This meant that Lyndon B. Johnson (the vice president at the time) would be sworn into office. This meant that Johnson had to decide how to proceed in Vietnam. This was something that he struggled with while in office. -
Gulf of Tonkin Incident
On August 2nd and 4th, the North Vietmanese attack two U.S. destroyers. These destroyers are sitting in international waters. On August 7th, the U.S. passes the Gulf of Tonkin resolution. This resolution allowed the president to do whatever necessary to assist those of the Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty. -
Operation "Rolling Thunder"
Operation "Rolling Thunder" was deployed in 1965 and would continue for 3 years. These were American bombing raids of North Korea. They were nearly continuous air raids. -
Combat Troops
The first U.S combat troops arrive. -
MLK Jr. speaks out
Martin Luther King speaks out against the war. He suggests a merger between civil rights groups and antiwar groups. -
Tet Offensive
A surprise attack was launched against the U.S and its allies in the South on the new year. There was a counterattack later in the year where all of the lost areas were recaptured. -
Battle for Hue
The U.S and South Vietmanese forces battle for 26 days trying to get the site back that was lost during the Tet Offensive. The battle left nearly all of the population homeless. Mass graves of those executed during the Communist operation were also deiscovered here. -
Mai Lai Massacre
U.S soldiers kill Vietmanese civilians in the town of Mai Lai. Once the news was heard in the U.S, shockwaves were sent through the U.S poilitcial system and the commanders in the military. The American Public did not evern hear about it for months after. -
Withdrawal of troops
President Nixon ordered the withdrawal of U.S forces. The last troops are withdrawn on this day. -
End of the Vietnam War
The South surrenders to the communists. Communist forces seized control of Saigon, which ended the war.The country then became unified in 1976 as a communist country.