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Brown v. Board of Education
The Supreme Court declares that segregated schools are "inherintely unequal". However, the court delays making a decision about how this ruling will be carried out. Brown v. Board of Education was signigicant in that it made segregated in school illegal. But, it did not make segregation in the rest of society illegal. SourceAmerican Public Schools are Desegregated -
Geneva Conference on the Indochina
The Geneva Conference is held with the intent to negotiate a solution for Southeastern Asia. It is attended by the U.S., Britain, China, the Soviet Union, France, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. Later, when North Vietnam violates this agreements spawning from this conference Johnson cites it as a reason for the U.S. to enter into war.
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Rosa Parks arrested and Montgomery Bus Boycott Begins
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat on a bus for a white woman in protest, and is arrested as a result. She became a symbol of the Civil Rights movement. The local African American population in Montgomery decided to protests the bus company and eventually the company relented the following year--allotting the Civil Rights movement one of its first small victories. Slide #12 -
First direct shipment of U.S. military aid to Saigon are sent
The U.S. sends military aid to Saigon and also offers to train the South Vietnamese army. Source -
The Little Rock Nine
Nine African American students decided that they wanted to try and remove desegregation from Central High School but were met with protests that were near violent. President Eisenhower himself sent soldiers to go Little Rock to literally escort the students to and from school and on campus. This really dramatized the situation in the country at the time regarding how serious it was. Slide #11 -
President John F. Kennedy wins the Election against Richard Nixon
John F. Kennedy wins the Presidential Election against Richard Nixon. Their presidential runs were the focus of the nation as their debates were the first to be televised, and there were even some serious allegations of voter fraud. John F. Kennedy won narrowly and is known as a symbol for hope and optimism. Slide #13 -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
Kennedy learns of a plan that the CIA has to take Cuban exiles and train them as commandos. They would be sent into Cuba as an invasion force an serve as the nucleus of what the CIA (and now Kennedy) hoped would be a counter-revolution to Cuba's revolution led by Castro. It failed almost immediately and is known as one of the largest failed clandestine operations in history. Slide #14 -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The U.S. learns that Cuba was allowing the Soviet Union to build missiles on its land and the U.S. relaliates. JFK goes on television and tells the world that he does not condone this, and that he would quarantine the island until the Soviet Union agreed to cease building the WMDs and remove them from Cuba. In the end, the Soviets agreed and JFK came out looking like a hero- both avoiding war.
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Birmingham Demonstrations
Martin Luther King Jr. organizes peaceful marches in Birmingham, AL in order to protest the segregation in Brimingahm, and the notorious mayor, Bull Connor. Bill Connor retaliated and used his police force to retaliate against these demonstratioins. This included high pressure water hoses and police dogs to attack helpless people. JFK was angered and made Civil Rights his priority.
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President Johnson asks Congress for the power to go to war with Vietnam
Stating that the North Vietnamese and the Communists have violated the Geneva Accords against South Vietnam and Laos, President Johson asks Congress for the poewr to go to war. This request is granted on by August 7th, 1964.
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Invasion of Cambodia
President Nixon orders U,S, troops to invade Cambodia's borders alongside South Vietnamese troops. The purpose is to destroy supply centers set up by the North Vietnamese, but the invasion only spurs more anti-war protests in the U.S. and by June 3, 1970 Nixon announces the complete withdrawal of the troops.
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The Last American Troops leave Vietnam
For the U.S. the Vietnam war is officially over now. However, battle does continue in Vietnam, and there are other U.S. troops still waiting to be removed from Vietnam. The U.S. casualities for the Vietnam war was almost 58,000 people dead, 1,000 MIA, and more than 150,000 seriously wounded. The U.S. population's view on the Vietnam War was generally very negative, and seen as a huge mistake.
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The Fall of Saigon/End of the Vietnam War
The Capital of South Vietname, Saigon, is captured by the People's Army of Vietnam and the Viet Cong. This marked the end of the Vietnam War and Vietnam's transformation into a socialist republic and a reunified country. This was seen as a huge loos for the U.S. after the war lasting for more than 20 years and the original goal of eliminating communism from Vietnam being an ultiamte failure.
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