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Vietnamese Independence from Japan
At this time, the United States supported Vietnamese Independence from Japan because they supported moving away from the practice of having colonies. This event is important to the Vietnam War because right after this, the French starts a conflict that results in the separation of Vietnam.
Slide 15 Background of U.S. Involvement in Vietnam War
http://csrmedia.education.asu.edu/Lectures/SS3/HistoryCore/Basic9/index.htm
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/vietnam-independence-proclaimed -
Geneva Accords
Vietnam is divided at the 17th parallel at this meeting. North Vietnam was set up as a communist state while South Vietnam was set up as an anti-communist state. Because the United States at this time was anti communist, the government became allies with the South Vietnamese government.
Slide 15 Background of U.S. Involvement in Vietnam War
http://csrmedia.education.asu.edu/Lectures/SS3/HistoryCore/Basic9/index.htm
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/229032/Geneva-Accords -
Building Ho Chi Minh Trail
A North Vietnamese unit, 559, is formed to create a supply route from North Vietnam to South Vietnam. This later becomes known as the Ho Chi Minh Trail and was used by both sides during the war.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ho_Chi_Minh_trail
http://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/timeline/index.html -
Viet Cong Formed
Viet Cong is the military regime funded by the North Vietnamese government. This added to pre existing tensions.
http://www.shmoop.com/vietnam-war/timeline.html -
Attack on U.S. Vessel
In August of 1964 (not necessarily on August 1st), a U.S. vessel was off the coast of North Vietnam because it was supporting a South Vietnamese attack on North Vietnam. When the North Vietnamese detected the U.S. vessel, they shot it. As a result of this encounter, the U.S. government was able to gain public support to get involved in Vietnam.
Slide 24 Gulf of Tonkin Incident/Resolution
http://csrmedia.education.asu.edu/Lectures/SS3/HistoryCore/Basic9/index.htm -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
I chose August 2nd just to mark that it happened after the Gulf of Tonkin Incident. The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution was passed by Congress to increase American involvement in South Vietnam.
Slide 24 Gulf of Tonkin Incident/Resolution
http://csrmedia.education.asu.edu/Lectures/SS3/HistoryCore/Basic9/index.htm -
President Johnson Launches Operation Rolling Thunder
Operation Rolling Thunder is an American bombing campaign that was designed to cut off transportation routes for the North Vietnamese.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/johnson-approves-operation-rolling-thunder -
Tet Offensive of 1968
The North Vietnamese side launched an attack on Tet, the Lunar New Year. It threw the South Vietnamese and United States forces off guard and weakened support for the war in America. This event is arguably the turning point in the war. Because of this event, Lyndon B. Johnson backed out of his reelection campaign to focus on the war.
Slide 26 Tet Offensive- 1968
http://csrmedia.education.asu.edu/Lectures/SS3/HistoryCore/Basic9/index.htm
http://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/tet-offensive -
My Lai Massacre
It was the mass killing of South Vietnam civilians because it was believed that the 48th Local Force Batallion was hiding there. It was mostly kept a secret until after the war and when it surface, it receieved a horrible reputation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Lai_Massacre -
Election of 1968
This election was very significant to American history because it was right after the Tet Offensive and Lyndon B. Johnson backed out of the election. Robert Kennedy was running for the Democrats and he was assassinated. Nixon eventually won the election because of his use of media.
Slide 28 Election of 1968
http://csrmedia.education.asu.edu/Lectures/SS3/HistoryCore/Basic9/index.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_1968 -
Kent State Protest
There were several protests during the Vietnam War; the protest at Kent State is one of the more notable ones. Members of the Ohio National Guard opened fire to stop the protest and killed 4 students in the process.
http://dept.kent.edu/sociology/lewis/lewihen.htm -
Paris Peace Accords Signed
This event included a cease-fire throughout Vietnam. Both sides agreed to the withdrawal of foreign troops. The North also agreed there would be no use of force to reunify the country.
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/paris-peace-accords-signed -
Saigon Falls
Saigon was the South Vietnamese capital. As a result of this fall, North and South Vietnam were unified under the communist government of North Vietnam. All remaining Americans have already been evacuated by this point. Americans were able to evacuate some South Vietnamese citizens.
http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/30/april-30-1975-saigon-falls/?_r=0
