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Ho Chi Minh established Democratic Republic of Vietnam
Ho wanted to rid Vietnam of the foreing occupiers, Japan and France. He tries to gain the US as an ally, but the US does not want to support communism in Asia. -
US sends aid to French
Since the US was determined to stick to their Cold War policies they decided to forgo an alliance with Ho Chi Minh. Instead they sent military aid to the French. -
France withdraws
During the Geneva Conference, several nations came together to decide how the French should withdraw. -
Vietnam proposes election
A general democratic election was to be held in 1956 to unify Vietnam under one government, but the US feared that the communists would win. So South Vietnam has their own election. Ngo Dinh Diem is elected, then killed in 1963. -
National Liberation Front established
During Diem's tenure he had started to alienate his own people, so communist sympathesizers started the National Liberation Front, also known as the Viet Cong. They used guerilla warfare to battle the South Vietnamese. -
North Vietnam fires on US
North Vietnam fires upon two US ships on the 2nd and 4th of August. This leads to Congress passing the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which states that the president can escalate US involvement in Vietnam. -
US Troops deployed to S. Vietnam
President Lyndon Johnson orders first US troops to S. Vietnam. -
N. Vietnam attacks S. Vietnam
North Vietnam surprises the US by attacking Southern Vietnam cities and towns. This is the turning point for America and President Johnson decides not to escalate the war. -
Richard Nixon gets elected President
Richard Nixon won his share of the votes by promising to find "peace with honor" in Vietnam. -
New peace talks begin
After Nixon's plan to end hostilities faster by expanding the war into Cambodia and Laos, new peace talks began in Paris. -
Vietnamization
The removal of troops began in July 1969, through Nixon's plan of Vietnamization. -
Easter Offensive (or Spring Offensive)
When the US was getting closer to being completely out of Vietnam, Northern Vietnam crossed the demilitarized zone and invaded South Vietnam. -
Cease fire agreed upon
The peace talks in Paris had finally achieved a cease fire agreement. -
Last of US troops leave Vietnam
All of America's troops were finally pulled from S. Vietnam. They were leaving a weakened country at the mercy of communists despite the cease fire agreement. -
S. Vietnam surrenders to N. Vietnam
1975 brought the biggest push from N. Vietnam to finally topple the S. Vietnamese government. Which leads to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on July 2, 1976.
