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victory by Vietnamese
Viet Minh troops under Gen. Vo Nguyen Giap overrun the French base at Dien Bien Phu. The stunning victory by Vietnamese forces brings an end to nearly a century of French colonial rule in Indochina. -
U.S. became involved with Vietnam war
The first major contingent of US Marines arrived in 1965. For the next ten years the USA's involvement increased. -
Ngo Dinh Diem
Ngo Dinh Diem is assassinated by his own generals as part of a coup d’état that is carried out with the tacit support of U.S. officials. -
USS Maddox attacked by North Vietnamese
USS Maddox on an espionage mission is attacked by North Vietnamese patrol torpedo boats in the Gulf of Tonkin. -
North Vietnam in Operation Flaming Dart
President Johnson orders the bombing of targets in North Vietnam in Operation Flaming Dart in retaliation for a Viet Cong raid at the U.S. base in the city of Pleiku and at a nearby helicopter base at Camp Holloway. -
president Johnson launches a bomb
President Johnson launches a three-year campaign of sustained bombing of targets in North Vietnam and the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Operation Rolling Thunder. -
general nuguen van Thieu became presidents of south Vietnam
General Nguen Van Thieu of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam Governmental Military (ARVN), becomes president of South Vietnam. -
PROVN
A Program for the Pacification and Long-Term Development of Vietnam (PROVN), a study commissioned by the U.S. Army Chief of Staff, Gen. Harold K. Johnson, is published. -
new year holiday
During the Vietnamese New Year holiday of Tet, North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces begin an offensive that will eventually hurl some 85,000 troops against five major cities, dozens of military installations, and scores of towns and villages throughout South Vietnam. -
The CBS news report
CBS Evening News anchor Walter Cronkite, who has just returned from Vietnam, tells viewers, “It seems now more certain than ever that the bloody experience of Vietnam is to end in a stalemate. -
U.S protests
Millions of people across the United States take to the streets to protest the continued U.S. involvement in Vietnam. The antiwar demonstrations represent the largest public protests in U.S. history to date. -
National Guard open fire
Members of the Ohio National Guard open fire on unarmed college students at Kent State University, killing four and wounding nine. -
Ohio National Guard open fire on unarmed college students
Members of the Ohio National Guard open fire on unarmed college students at Kent State University, killing four and wounding nine. The incident catalyzes the growing antiwar movement. Roughly 335,000 U.S. troops are in Vietnam, and approximately 50,000 have been killed. -
U.S. troops
U.S. troops are to be withdrawn within 60 days and the 17th parallel will remain the dividing line until the country can be reunited by “peaceful means.” -
the last U.S military leaves Vietnam
The last U.S. military unit leaves Vietnam. In over a decade of fighting, some 58,000 U.S. troops have been killed. Vietnamese casualties include more than 200,000 South Vietnamese troops