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Creation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam
Announcing the formation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh declares independence from French colonial rule. Viet Minh, or Vietnamese Independence League, was founded by Vietnamese Communist revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh in 1941 in opposition to French and Japanese occupation. Before France seized control in the late 1800s, Vietnam had fought foreign rule for centuries. -
Declaring of the Republic of Vietnam
HC Minh wrote the Proclamation of Independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, which was publicly announced at the Ba Đình flower garden in Hanoi on September 2, 1945. The Democratic Republic of Vietnam replaced the Nguyen dynasty. According to the Declaration of Independence, “All men are born equal: the Creator has given us inviolable rights, life, liberty, and happiness! ” -
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Battle of Dien Bien Phu
In mid-March to early May 1954, the Battle of Dien Bien Phu began. Fewer than 100 French soldiers broke through the siege at Dien Bien Phu, and the rest were killed, wounded, or captured. French were routs in the defeat. -
Creation of the 17th parallel between North and South Vietnam
During the Geneva peace talks in 1954, the 17th Parallel marked the boundary between North and South Vietnam. During peace talks in Geneva, Vietnam was divided into north and south. Between North and South Vietnam, this became a practical political boundary. -
Establishment of the National Liberation Front
The National Liberation Front, formally the National Front for the Liberation of the South, is a Vietnamese political organization founded on December 20, 1960. The goal was to overthrow the South Vietnamese government and reunite North and South Vietnam. Despite being dominated by communists, the NLF included many non-communists, both in its military arm and in its political organization. The NLF's diplomatic staff represented all communist countries and several neutral countries. -
Gulf of Tonkin Incident and Resolution
The Gulf of Tonkin Incident happened in August 1964. It's alleged that North Vietnamese warships attacked U.S. warships twice in the Gulf of Tonkin. Lyndon Johnson was authorized by the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution to "take all necessary measures" to stop Vietnam's communist government from attacking the United States. -
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Operation Rolling Thunder
On 24 February 1965, Operation Rolling Thunder began and lasted until October 1968. During this time, the Air Force and Navy bombed Ho Chi Minh to make him give up his ambitions. The North Vietnamese didn't do what we wanted because Rolling Thunder wasn't an effective political tool. -
US combat troops arrive in Vietnam
The Ninth Marine Expeditionary Brigade landed at Da Nang in 1965. It was the first time U.S. troops entered combat. Da Nang Air Base launched lots of bombing raids against the north. -
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Tet Offensive
During the Tet Offensive of 1968, more than 100 South Vietnamese cities and outposts were attacked. U.S. military involvement in Vietnam was scaled back by fomenting South Vietnamese rebels. Even though U.S. and South Vietnamese forces repelled the attacks, the media coverage weakened support for the war effort. Heavy casualties during the Tet Offensive were a strategic victory for North Vietnam, marking the end of American presence in the region. -
My Lai Massacre
Women, children, and old men were brutally killed by American soldiers in My Lai on March 16, 1968. My Lai massacre killed more than 500 people, including girls and women who were raped and mutilated. During the year-long cover-up, American soldiers sparked international outrage. -
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1968 Democratic National Convention
Pigasus was nominated for president on August 23, 1968, by Yippie leader Rubin, singer Phil Ochs, and other activists. When they paraded Pigasus at the Civic Center, ten officers arrested Ochs, Rubin, Pigasus, and six other Yippies. Vietnam War protesters fight police in the streets as the Democratic Party falls apart. -
1968 Presidential Election
George Wallace, a former Alabama governor and incumbent vice president Hubert Humphrey lost to Richard Nixon, the Republican nominee. Law and order and peace in Vietnam are Nixon's top priorities at home. He promised to reduce government waste and bring back traditional values. -
Tinker v. Des Moines
Students can't be censored unless it disrupts the educational process, says the court. The First Amendment protects their right to wear black armbands because they aren't disruptive. The United States Supreme Court upheld student rights 7-2. -
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Woodstock 1969
The festival was held at a farm in Bethel, New York, from August 15-18, 1969. Even though inexperienced, Woodstock organizers signed Sly and the Family Stone, Jimi Hendrix, the Who, and the Grateful Dead. The festival grounds were wet, humid, and muddy. -
Kent State University Protest
Ohio National Guard shot at Kent State University demonstrators, killing four and injuring nine. National student strikes triggered by the event forced colleges and universities to close. According to Haldeman, Kent State's shooting led to Watergate, which ultimately brought Nixon down. The shootings symbolize the deep political and social divisions that sharply divided the country during the Vietnam War, apart from the immediate effects. -
Jackson State College Protest
Two students were killed and 12 wounded when police opened fire on them in Mississippi for about 30 seconds. Resulted from increasing friction between students, local youths, and law enforcement. Students pelted rocks at white motorists on May 14, often the scene of confrontations between blacks and whites. -
Pentagon Papers
As revealed in the Pentagon Papers, the U.S. had secretly expanded its role in the Vietnam War. Ellsberg initially faced conspiracy, espionage, and theft charges for leaking the Pentagon Papers. The Nixon White House ordered Ellsberg's critics to use illegal discrediting tactics in the Watergate scandal. -
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Watergate
During the Watergate scandal, Nixon engaged in illegal activities. The Democratic Party's national headquarters was broken into by five burglars in June 1972. On August 9, 1974, Nixon resigned as president to cover up the scandal. -
1973 Paris Peace Accords
Following the Paris Peace Accords, the U.S. stopped directly participating in combat in the Vietnam War. Accords were signed in January 1973 following four years of negotiation. North and South Vietnam signed a deal. -
United States vs. Nixon
The Supreme Court subpoenaed Nixon's Watergate tapes and documents. There's no way a general need for confidential communications could justify an absolute privilege. The landmark case clarifies the procedure for future lawsuits against the president by requiring a "demonstrated specific need." -
Fall of Saigon
Refugees and diplomats were the bravest Americans. The North Vietnamese Army captured Saigon on April 30, 1975, ending the Vietnam War. Thousands of people were evacuated before the attack.