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The French suffer a decisive defeat at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu
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40,000 armed men- with Chinese artillery, the Vietnamese made it hard for the French to receive supplies from planes. The French finally realized they were in trouble. Situations like these are what made escalations into a broader war. (slide 25/32) http://csrmedia.education.asu.edu/Lectures/SS3/HistoryCore/Basic9/index.htm -
The Geneva Accords creates a ceasefire for the peaceful withdrawal of the French from Vietnam and provides a temporary boundary between North and South Vietnam at the 17th parallel
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The Geneva Convention soon begins with representatives from 9 different nations congregate in Geneva. Negotiations start and eventually lead to the end of hostilities. -
North Vietnamese attack two U.S. destroyers sitting in international waters
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3 North Vietnamese boats fired at a destroyer located in the international waters of the Tonkin Gulf (after South Vietnamese naval operations). A 2nd attack apparently took place two days later on August 4. -
A sustained U.S. aerial bombing campaign of North Vietnam begins (Rolling Thunder)
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Operation "Rolling Thunder" deployed. These American bombing raids of North Vietnam went on for 3 years. The U.S. never "invaded" North Vietnam because it was too risky. (slide 25/32) http://csrmedia.education.asu.edu/Lectures/SS3/HistoryCore/Basic9/index.htm -
First U.S. combat troops arrive in Vietnam
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3500 U.S. troops were dispatched to South Vietnam. This was the marking of the American ground war, dealing with the bare minimum of military commitment (slide 25/32). http://csrmedia.education.asu.edu/Lectures/SS3/HistoryCore/Basic9/index.htm -
U.S. soldiers kill hundreds of Vietnamese civilians in the town of Mai Lai
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The "Easter Offensive" was a military campaign. This invasion was a departure from previous Northern Vietnamese offensives. There were three fronts of the offensive, and the North Vietnamese successes were restricted by high casualties, tactics and great application of U.S. and Southern Vietnamese powers. Political victory of saving South Vietnam would allow U.S. forces to pull out (slide 25/32). http://csrmedia.education.asu.edu/ -
President Nixon orders the first of many U.S. troop withdrawals from Vietnam
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President Nixon orders "Operation Breakfast" which was the bombing of Cambodia and continued for 14 months. This was in effect to destroy the communist supply routes and base camps. -
President Nixon announces that U.S. troops will attack enemy locations in Cambodia
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"Operation Breakfast" (joing US-South Vietnamese operation) was to completely wipe out supply bases. This invasion of Cambodia sparked a new wave of protests and issues. -
North Vietnamese cross the demilitarized zone (DMZ) at the 17th parallel to attack south Vietnam in what became known as the "Easter Offensive"
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Paris Peace Accords are signed that provide a ceasefire
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Cease-fire argreement was signed in Paris which brought peace with honor in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. The agreement was signed by Henry Kissinger Le Duc Tho. -
The last U.S. troops are withdrawn from Vietnam
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With the final withdrawal of U.S. troops, anti war protests ended after the Paris Peace Accords was signed. South Vietnam was then left to defend itself and many of the southern vietnamese fled to the United States. Eventually, America will escalate to a million troops (silde 25/32). http://csrmedia.education.asu.edu/Lectures/SS3/HistoryCore/Basic9/index.htm -
South Vietnam surrenders to the communists
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The last Americans evacuate as Saigon falls to the communists. President of South Vietnam, Duong Van Minh, surrendered to the communists. Very few Americans were left unevacuated. -
Vietnam is unified as a communist country, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
LINKThe Socialist Republic of Vietnam named Pham Van Dong prime minister and Van Dong and his fellow government leaders resided in the nation's new capital.
