The Vietnam War

Vietnam War

Period: Jan 1, 1954 to Dec 31, 1980

The Vietnam War. (n.d.). Retrieved February 14, 2015, from http://www.ushistory.org/us/55.asp
Vietnam War. (n.d.). Retrieved February 14, 2015, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War

Geneva Conference

Apr 26, 1954

In Geneva many nations met to agree on dividing Vietnam at the 17th parallel. North Vietnam would be led by Ho Chi Minh and their capital would be Hanoi. South Vietnam would be led by Ngo Dinh Diem and their capital would be Saigon.
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Assassination

Nov 2, 1963

Vietnam’s leader, Diem was murdered and only two weeks later, President Kennedy was assassinated as well.
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North Vietnam fires at American ships

Aug 2, 1964

Gunboats from North Vietnam supposedly fired on the United States Navy ships located on the Gulf of Tonkin.
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Operation Rolling Thunder

Mar 2, 1965

Operation Rolling Thunder was put into play by the United States, where there would be continuous bombing of the North Vietnamese targets.
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Search and Destroy

Mar 10, 1965

Entering on the shore of Danang, the first American combat troops began “search and destroy” missions throughout Vietnam.
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189,000 American Troops

Dec 31, 1965

At the end of 1965 America had sent over 189,000 troops to Vietnam, at the end of 1966 the number of troops will double.
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Tet Offensive

Jan 30, 1968

The Vietnam holiday Tet, was celebrated by a massive invasion of Vietcong troops on South Vietnam.
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My Lai Massacre

Mar 16, 1968

American soldiers opened fire on the village of My Lai. The lieutenant who gave that initial order, William Calley Jr., was charged with murder because there were women and children in the village, but charges were later dropped.
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Democratic National Convention

Aug 26, 1968

Antiwar protesters clash with National Guard at the Democratic national Convention in Chicago to protest against the nomination of a pro-war candidate.
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Inauguration of Richard Nixon

Jan 20, 1969

Nixon was inaugurated and much of America was divided as to what should happen next with involvement in the Vietnam War.
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Vietnamization

Jan 28, 1969

Nixon administer a plan to teach the South Vietnamese forces proper defensive tactics so that they could protect themselves and the United States could gradually reduce their involvement in Vietnam.
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Cambodian Campaign

Apr 29, 1970

Nixon stated that a temporary invasion of, neutral and neighboring, Cambodia to bomb the Viet Cong bases.
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Pentagon Papers

Jun 13, 1971

The New York Times published a daring excerpt that came from the “Pentagon Papers” and spilt the past events of government involvement in Vietnam.
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Bombing of Hanoi

Dec 18, 1972

Nixon commanded that the bombing on Northern Vietnamese cities advance, and include Hanoi.
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Ceasefire

Mar 15, 1973

Ceasefire was administered and American troops were brought home.
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Fall of Saigon

Apr 30, 1975

North Vietnam soon attacked South Vietnam and captured the capital. Vietnam once again becomes one communist nation. South Vietnams capital, Saigon, was renamed to Ho Chi Minh City.
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