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Domino Theory/Eisenhower Speech
On April 7, President Eisenhower gave a speech that outlined his fear of what would happen if Vietnam went communist. In his speech he mentioned that if Vietnam fell then so would its neighbors like "falling dominos". -
Fall of Dien Bien Phu
After a several month long battle, the Viet Minh defeat the French at their base in Dien Bien Phu and force them to the negotiating table. Though not official this signified the end of the First Indochina War. -
Geneva Accords
The Geneva Accords were meant to solve the conflict in Vietnam and end the First Indochina war. However it failed to do this. Both the US and the newly created South Vietnam refused to sign the agreement and an election meant to unify the country never happened as a result tension between North and South increased. -
Formation of the NLF (or Viet Cong)
The National Liberation Front also known as the NLF or Viet Cong was officially formed in December of 1960. They were a underground insurgency using hit and run tactics to bring down the south form within. The group was then supported by the north during the war to use guerilla warfare against the US and south vietnam. -
Ngo Dinh Diem's assassination
Diem was the dictator of south vietnam who was supported by President Kennedy for being anti-communist. However he persecuted his people especially buddhists who he would have been found and killed. As a result the US slowly withdrew support until a coup against Diem happened killing him. The US backed the coup ad supported the leaders afterward in order to control the south. -
Gulf of Tonkin incident
On August 2 the destroyer USS Maddox was off the coast of North Vietnam when it was attacked by North Vietnamese patrol boats. Initially nothing was done, however on Aug 4 the Maddox falsely reported a second attack which prompted US bombing campaigns against North Vietnam. -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
As a result of the Gulf of Tonkin incident, congress passed the gulf of tonkin resolution which gave the president full control to wage war in Vietnam and conduct attacks at his command without oversight from congress. -
LBJ election victory
LBJ was elected president which allowed him to stay in power and send troops to Vietnam and go to full on war. Had someone else won it is possible that US intervention in Vietnam would have changed, however at the time the US was in favor of war and very few voted against LBJ winning. -
Operation Rolling Thunder
Operation Rolling Thunder was a mass bombing campaign in North Vietnam which lasted 3 years. The goal at first was to destroy factories and bridges but turned to bombing the Ho Chi Minh trail and supply routes in order to slow down troop movements and open positions so it was easier for the US to spot enemy combatants. -
First Troops Arrive
The first 3500 troops to arrive in Vietnam landed March 3 1965 to protect the US airbase of Da Nang after several Viet Cong attacks. Before their arrival several thousand US military advisors were stationed in Vietnam to teach the south Vietnamese how to fight the north.
