United States Involvement in the Vietnam War

By C12

  • Start of the Geneva Conference

    A conference discussing how France should pull out of the war in Vietnam peacefully. U.S. refused to allow a democratic election for fear of the Communists.

  • Ngo Dinh Diem was Elected

    Ngo Dinh Diem was elected leader of South Vietnam.

  • National Liberation Front

    The National Liberation Front, also known as Viet Cong, was established.

  • Ngo Dinh Diem Assinated

    Ngo Dinh Diem was killed in a coup supported by the United States.

  • Gulf of Tonkin Incident

    The Gulf of Tonkin Incident was when North Vietnam fired upon U.S. ships in the Gulf of Tonkin. This happened twice once on August 2, 1964 and the other on August 4, 1964.

  • Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

    This was a resolution Congress passed saying the President had authority to escalate U.S. involovement in Vietnam.

  • Rolling Thunder

    Operation Rolling Thunder - an operation in which America kept bombing North Vietnam - occurred.

  • Troops in Vietnam

    The first combat troops arrived in Vietnam.

  • "Operation Hump"

    The 173rd Airborne Brigade on “Operation Hump”, war zone “D” in Vietnam, were ambushed by over 1200 Viet Cong.

  • American Public

    The American Public learns of the My Lai Massacre.

  • Tet Offensive

    The North Vietnamese troops surprised both the U.S. forces and the South Vietnamese by having a coordinated assault with the Viet Cong to attack about a hundred South Vietnamese cities and towns.

  • Mai Lai Massacre

    This was the mass murder of between 347 and 504 unarmed civilians in South Vietnam.

  • Westmoreland Replaced

    General Westmoreland was replaced by General Creighton Abrams. Exact day of replacement could not be found.

  • Nixon is President

    Nixon is inaugurated as the 37th President of the United States.

  • First Troop Withdrawals

    Nixon withdraws the first troops from Vietnam.

  • Ho Chi Minh Dies

    Ho Chi Minh died on this day.

  • Cambodia

    Nixon announces that U.S. troops will attack eenmy locations in Cambodia.

  • Pentagon Papers

    Parts of Pentagon Papers are published in the New York Times.

  • Easter Offensive

    The North Vietnamese cross the demilitarized zone (DMZ) at the 17th parallel to attack South Vietnam in what became known as the Easter Offensive.

  • Paris Peace Accords

    The Paris Peace Accords are signed that provide a cease-fire

  • U.S. Troops Withdrawn

    The last U.S. troops are withdrawn from Vietnam.