-
Geneva Convention
Nations meet in Geneva to discuss the resolve tensions in southeast Asia. There had been issues brewing bewteen the French controlling Vietnam and the Ho Chi Minh communist forces in the nothern part of the country. The ending results of the Gevena Convention was the french had to withdraw troops from the north and the 17th parallel was drawn. This temporarily devided Vietnam into two different countries until the next presidential election. -
Guerilla Warfare
A new type of warfare now faces the U.S. troops. This type of battle included young Vietcong soliders who were dressed as civilians, with minimal military training. These men fought by tactics of hit and run. The first U.S. soldiers was killed by during a guerilla battle on this day, Major Dale R. Ruis and Master Sgt Chester M. Ovnard. This was a type of warfare the U.S. had not yet seen before in histroy; the enemy was almost invisible. -
Presidential Election of 1960
John F. Kennedy, a Democrat from Massachusets, beats out Richard Nixon for the presidency. Both men were popular candidates and the race was won by a slim margin by Kennedy. His youthfulnes and new ideas inspired hope and optimism throughout the people of America. -
Vietcong
The National Liberation Front was prganized by in South Vietnam. Those who took part in the Vietong (named by Diem) were against Diem and were identified as both pro and non-communist. -
Diem Assassination
President Ngo Dinh Diem is assisnated in South Vietnam after his government is overthrown. This event drew the U.S. more into the conflict; rebuilding of the South Vietnamese government was needed. The U.S. also took this as the opportunity to battle with the communists in the country. There is an idea the U.S. may have been behind the assassination of both Diem and his brother. -
The Kennedy Assassination
JFK was shot and killed during a motorcade in Dallas, Texas. The shooter was Lee Harvey Oswald. This assassination meant that Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson would now have to assume the presidency and make decisions about growing animosity in Vietnam. -
Gulf of Tonkin Incident
During this time, Vietnam was divided in half and undergoing a civil war. America and South Vietnam were allies. The U.S. until now had no ability to really involve themselves in the war. North Vietnam sends PT boats to the Tonkin Gulf, an international water body, to fire at a U.S. destroyer. The attack opened up opportunity to join the war. The incident was more hyped up by LBJ and the media than needed. -
Rolling Thunder
The United States repeatedly attacks North Vietnam from March of 1965 to October of 1968 through bombing from aircrafts. The main target was to destroy the Ho Chi Minh Trail, the connecting passage between North and South Korea. This would make providing the Vietcong with supplies much more difficult for the North Vietnamese. U.S. ground troops would soon be sent over shortly after the initial bombings. -
Westmoreland's Troops
General William Westmoreland requests more troops be sent to Vietnam. More and more men would be sent to the war effort by Westmoreland's request. The highest number of troops was reached in 1969 with a total of 543,500. This outraged the American public, especially the younger generations. -
The Tet Offensive
The North Vietnamese and Vietcong forces launched a suprise attack on the Southern and U.S. forces. This was unexpected because "tet" refers to the Chinese New Year which in turn meant a time for peace. This was also done without the use of Guerilla tactics. The U.S. would eventually regain the land taken by the Vietcong, however this altercation hinted that the war was not close to its end. -
My Lai Massacre
American soldiers kill the majority of people in the South Vietnamese town of My Lai. Actual events are mainly unknown as well as an exact number of casualties. A few years after the occurance, over a dozen U.S. officers were charged with brutality crimes however only one was actually found guilty. These officers were reported to have covered up many of the crimes committed relating to the massacre. -
Nixon Elected
Winning the popular vote by an extremely this margin, Republican Richard M. Nixon assumes the presidency. The irony of his election is that he ran his campaign on the idea of "law and order." Nixon's election would mark the beginning of many scandals and secrets held by his administration. -
Secret Bombings of Cambodia
Nixon approves "Operation Breakfast," a secret bombing campaign of Cambodia to attempt to destory communits supplies and routes. This operation was never made known to congress or the American public. This was because Cambodia remained neutral throughout the war and U.S. civilians would not have approved the bombings. It went on for around 14 months. -
Kent State Shooting
Students at Kent State University in Ohio take part in a anti-war protest. The National Guard is soon called in and things became violent between them and the students. The National Guard opened fire into the crowd. 4 students were killed and 9 were injured. This event sparked an even deeper disrespect young people had for authority. -
Watergate Scandal
Nixon was running for re-election and many of his close collegues were worried about his chances of winning. The Committee to Re-Elect the President would break into the National Democratic Committee's headquarters at the Watergate Hotel. Rooms were bugged and documents were stolen. Although it had been evident that people had broken in, it would take time for it to become connected to the president and his committee. -
Nixon Resigns
Richard Nixon resigns after investigation begins on the Watergate Breakin. He is the only president to resign in all U.S. history. He did this before he could have been impeached and removed. Investigators believed Nixon to have covered up cirminal acts, abused his power, among others. Many members of Nixon's committee would be indicted and brought up on charges. Nixon's resignation followed his submission of the Watergate tapes to the court. Ford would pardon Nixon completely.
