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Battle of Dien Bien Phu
Viet Minh attack an French military outpost in the town of Dien Bien Phu, this lasted two months. -
Period: to
The Vietname War
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Geneva Conference
Nine nations come to negotiate an end to the hostilities of Indochina in Geneva, Vietnam is split into North and South -
Communist insurgency in South
South insurgent activity begins, guerrillas kill more than 400 South Vietnamese officials. -
President Diem Murdered by South Korea Military
With the support of the US, South Korea overthrows and murders President Diem and his brother. -
Golf of Tonkin Incident
North Korea allegedly fires torpedoes at the USS Maddox in the Golf of Tonkin, President Lyndon Johnson approves military action. U.S. enters the war -
War
200,000 American Troops arrive in South Korea -
Martin Luther King Speaks out
Martin Luther King Jr. speaks out against the war, calling the United States "the greatest purveyor of violence in the world". Public Dissent over the war is growing. -
Tet Offensive
Viet Cong North Korea launches tet offensive, 500 civilians die at massacre at My Lai, thousands die in Battle of Hue -
"Vietnamization"
Policy of "vietnamization" is discussed by secretary of defense beginning a diminishing role of the US military in the Vietnam War, giving more and more of a role to South Vietnam. -
"Operation Breakfast"
Nixon begins secret bombings of Cambodia, to destroy communist supply route, without knowledge of congress or public. This goes on for 14 months -
Ho Chi Minh dies
Ho Chi Minh dies, Nixon reduces troops because of public opposition to the war -
Kent State Incident
National Guardsmen open fire on a group of anti-war protestors at Ohio Kent State, four students die. -
Bomb Hanoi and Haiphong
Nixon orders heavy bombing of supply dumps and petroleum storage sites of Hanoi and Haiphong. -
Cease-fire
A cease-fire is signed in Paris by Henry Kissinger and Le Duc Tho, American troops pull out completely in March -
Socialist Republic of Vietname
Socialist Republic of Vietnam proclaimed, naming Pham Van Dong prime minister. Thousands Vietnam refugees leave Vietnam in unsafe boats looking for better life.
