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the Democratic Republic of Vietnam launches its first consorted attack against the French and the Indochina War begins.
The First Indochina War began on 19 December 1946 and lasted until 1 August 1954. This war is immportant when it comes to the Vietnam War because it was what started out the major fighting between the French and Vietnam. The French forces starting fighting against the Viet Mihn. the Viet Minh launched a rebellion against the French authority governing the colonies of French Indochina. After this war, the 17th paralell was created at the Geneva Conference. -
The Battle of Dien Bien Phu Begins
This battle occurred between March and and May of 1954. It was the first major battle that gave the French an idea of what they were truly up against fighting North Vietman. The French thought it would be an easy battle to win, until the Viet Minh cut off all their air supplies. This is an important moment in this time period because it made France end their colonial efforts in Indochina. -
Two U.S. destroyers are sunk by North Vietnam.
On August 2nd and 4th, North Vietnaman attacks and sinks two U.s. destroyers that were in international waters (The Gulf of Tonkin). This resulted in turn led the U.S. to focus more troops to South Vietnam as well as the borders.
http://alliance.la.asu.edu/consortium/GCU113Web/Transcripts/Postwar%20United%20States.pdf
Slide: 24 -
John F. Kennedy wins the 1961 Presidential election over Richard Nixon.
JFK narrowly beat Richard Nixon in the 1961 election. I think it is important that he won over Nixon because Kennedy had such an impact on the Vietname War. He was looking in all the right directions when it came to what needed to be done. -
The Viet Cong is created in South Vietnam.
The Viet Cong was a group of people in the south that fought against both the U.S. soldiers and the north. The U.S. soldiers fought against the Viet Cong for most of the war. They were constantly worried that any civilian was a memeber. As the case in the My Lai Massacre. -
John. F. Kennedy is assassinated.
On November 22, 1963 JFK was assassinated in the back of his car. Right in the middle of the Vietnam War. His assassination is imortant to this war because after he died the U.S. started to question if their efforts in South Vietnam were working. They had the choice of either sending in combat troops or extricate ourselves completely.
http://alliance.la.asu.edu/consortium/GCU113Web/Transcripts/Postwar%20United%20States.pdf
Slide: 16 -
Tet Offensive of 1968 occurs.
Early in 1968, while the Tet New Year, a time where a truce fire, cease fire, I''m sorrys are normally in order, North Vietnam attacked the U.S and South Vietnamses soilders in South Vietnam. Viet Cong guerrillas took over almost every part of South Vietnam including the U.S. Embassy. North Vietnam ended up losing all of the areas they captured but the U.S. did not have much fight left in them. A victory had to be in the near future.
Lecture Slide: 26 -
The Mỹ Lai Massacre occurs in South Vietnam
Between 347 and 504 unarmed civilians in South Vietnam were murdered by U.S. Army soldiers. The soldiers believed that all of these civilians were armed or ready to attack. Even though mothers were sheilding their children. The memebers of the batallion who were present honestly believed they were doing good. A few of them tried to save some of the cilivians. This is important because it shows the real nature of these soldiers and the feelings they dealt with. -
The Paris Peace Accords were signed to create a cease fire.
The cease fire was between North Vietnam and the U.S. The south showed up with their own document that did not mention the Viet Cong government. It also included the U.S withdrawling all of their troops. This is important because it ended the war.
