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1954-Vietnam Divided
French defeat at Dien Bien Phu leads to Geneva negotiations. Geneva Agreements divide Vietnam at 17th parallel, with national elections to be held in two years.
http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/605 -
1955- US Advisors
The first US advisors are sent to Vietnam to train the South Vietnamese Army.
http://mahargpress.com/wounded/additional-material/timeline-of-vietnamconflict/ -
1959- First American's Killed
First two Americans are killed during a Viet Minh guerillas strike at Bien Hoa -
1961- Kennedy Inaugurated
John F Kennedy is inaugurated as president and vows to protect liberty at all costs. http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/vietnam/index-1961.html -
1964- USS Maddox
American destroyer is attacked by North Vietnemese patrol boats. No Americans were killed the Maddox did not sustain any severe damage.
http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/vietnam/index-1961.html -
1965- Operation Rolling thunder
The United States begins first bombing campaign. Operation Rolling Thunder last Three years. -
1965- First Combat Troops Deployed
3,500 marines arrive at China beach. The troops were sent to defend the US airbase at Da Nang. -
1968- Tet Offensive
Viet Cong launch huge offensive on almost all of South Vietnam cities. The battle is a military defeat for the North, but images from the battle are recored and broadcast on American news channels. The public is outraged, creating a political and psycological victory. This created a desire to find a non-military resolution to the conflict. http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/vietnam/index-1965.html -
1969- Nixon Inuagurated
Richard Nixon was Inaugurated as president. http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/vietnam/index-1969.html -
1970- Nixon Withdraws
Nixon orders that troops be withdrawn reducing number of troops to 280,00 down from 675,000 in July of 1967.
http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/vietnam/index-1969.html -
1970- Cambodian Outrage
"President Nixon stuns Americans by announcing incursion into Cambodia "...not for the purpose of expanding the war into Cambodia but for the purpose of ending the war in Vietnam." Generates a tidal wave of protest by politicians, the press, students,."
http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/vietnam/index-1969.html -
1970- Kent State University
National Guardsmen shoot and kill four student protesters and wound nineIn response to the killings, over 400 colleges and universities across America shut down.
http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/vietnam/index-1969.html -
1971- "the end is in sight"
President Nixon announces "the end is in sight."
http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/vietnam/index-1969.html -
1973- Troops Withdrawn
All U.S. combat forces have been withdrawn from Vietnam and all U.S. prisoners released
http://mahargpress.com/wounded/additional-material/timeline-of-vietnamconflict/ -
1982- Vietnam Memorial
Vietnam Veterans Memorial is dedicated to the 58,183 Americans killed during the war.
http://mahargpress.com/wounded/additional-material/timeline-of-vietnamconflict/
