-
1941
In 1941, a Vietnamese communist, Ho Chi Minh, drew on that history to stir up nationalist feelings in northern. -
1880's
From the 1880's up until World War ll, Vietnam was part of French Indochina, a French colony. -
1945
On September 2, 1945, the same day that Japan formally suspended, Vietnam declared its independence. -
1946
In November 1946, French warships opened fire on the port city of Haiphong. -
1950
This aid rose from $10 million in 1950 to more than $100 million in 1951. -
1951
By 1951, thousands of U.S. soldiers had already died in Korea trying to halt the spread of communism. -
1954
By 1954, the United States was paying 80% of the cost of the war in Indochina. -
1955
In 1955, the United States used its influence to put an anticommunist South Vietnamese leader, Ngo Dinh Diem, in charge. -
1960
In 1960, the Viet MInh formed a group called the National Liberation Front and invited all opponents of Diem to join. -
1961
When Kennedy became president in 1961, e sent an inspection team to South Vietnam to evaluate the situation.