Timeline: Vietnam Era

Period: Jan 1, 1945 to Dec 31, 1980

Vietnam Era

Aug 24, 1945

Declaring Independence

Abroad. Political. This event happened abroad in Vietnam, involving the French and the Vietnamese. The political impact of this event is it ends European Colonization of Asia and Indochina.

May 7, 1954

French Defeated

Abroad. Political. End of battle of Dienbienphu, the french control of Vietnam was ended.

Jul 21, 1954

Vietnam Divided

Abroad. Political. At the international conference in Geneva led communist Ho Chi Minh to rule North Vietnam and democrat Ngo Dinh Diem to ruule South Vietnam.

Jan 1, 1963

Vietcong Attacks

Abroad. Political. Vietcong attack on the US base at Pleiku in S. Vietnam, killed 8 Americans.

Aug 1, 1963

Diem Ordees Crackdown Against Opponents

Home. Political. JFK withdraws support of Diem.

Nov 22, 1963

JFK Assasinated

Home. Social and political. Lydon B Johnson had hard time ahead when he became a new president.

Aug 7, 1964

Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

Home. Political. This gave the United States government permission to take armed attack against other nations to prevent further aggression.

Mar 8, 1965

First US Ground Troops in Vietnam

Abroad. Political. In 6 weeks 50,000 entered and in 1 year 184,000 did.

Jan 1, 1968

Richard Nixon Takes Office

Home. Political. Richard Nixon campaigned on the ideas of restoring "law and order" with "peace with honor".

Jan 31, 1968

Tet Offensive

Abroad. Social and political. US military caught by suprised and shocked them.

Jan 1, 1969

Vietnamization

Abroad. Political. Vietnamization was the process of US troops gradually leaving Vietnam.

Jan 1, 1969

US Bombs Bases in Cambodia

Abroad. Political. Nixon hoped it would eliminate military threat and pressure for N. Vietnam to negotiate peace.

Jan 1, 1970

Vietnam War Fed Inflation

Home. Economic. This was a time of high unemployment. There was a temporary freeze on rent, wages, etc.

Jan 1, 1972

Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT)

Home. Political. Restricted number and type of nuclear war heads and missiles each nation could build.

Jan 1, 1972

Nixon Visits Mainland of China

Home. Social. The social impact of this event is that it helped the US improve relations with China.

Jan 27, 1973

Paris Peace Accords Signed

Abroad. Political. Peace between North and South Vietnam, to end the Vietnam war, and end direct United States involvement.

Aug 9, 1974

Watergate Scandal

Home. Political. During the presidential election, Nixon sent people to spy on the democrats. When the public found out, he resigned before they could impeach him.

Oct 8, 1974

Whip Inflation Now (WIN)

Home. Economic. This was a policy that President Ford set in motion. This was a time of highest unemployment and the nation was slipping into a recession.