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Vietnam Declaration of Independence
After Japanese surrendered control of Indochina Ho Chi Minh announced that Vietnam was an independent nation. Then crafted a Vietnam Declaration of Independence which then led out to be the same as the American Declaration of Independence. -
U.S supplies military aid to France
France had no intention of seeing Vietnam independent. French troops returned to Vietnam but they fought back and the French came to the U.S for help. The U.S opposed colonialism. The independence movement had become entangled with the Communists movement. American officials didn't think france should control Vietnam, but they didn't want them to be Communists either. -
Vietcong
American officials decided to support the government of South Vietnam against North Vietnam. After Diem refused to hold national elections, Ho Chi Minh began an armed struggle to reunify the nation. They organized a new guerrilla army which became known as Vietcong -
China to Communism
Eisenhower continued to support the french military campaign against Vietming. US was paying three-fourths of Frances war costs. Eisenhower defended U.S. policy and stressing the domino theory. Vietnam fell into communism, and other nations of Southeast Asia. -
Vietminh defeat French at Dien Bien Phu
Vietminh frustrated the French with hit-and-run and ambush tactics. The mounting casualties and the inability of the French to defeat the Vietminh made the was very unpopular in France. The French force at Dien Bien Phu fell to the Vietminh. The defeat convinced the French to make peace and withdraw from Indochina. -
Geneva Conference
Elections were to be held to reunite the country under a single government. The Geneva Conference also recognized Cambodia's independence -
The overthrow of Diem
American ambassador learned that Diems unpopularity had alarmed Vietnamese generals and were plotting to overthrow him. On November 1 1963 he was executed. His death made matter worse. The U.S. became more involved in order to prop up the weak South Vietnamese government. -
Strategic hamlets
American officials believed the Vietcong continued to grow to Diems government was unpopular and corrupt. They urged him to create more democratic government. One program Diem introduced made the situation worse. South Vietnamese created special fortified villages -
Operation Rolling Thunder
Most advisers who agreed with Johnson believed the nation had a duty to halt communism in Vietnam, both to maintain stability in southeast Asia and to ensure the United State’s continuing power and prestige in the world. Johnson expanded American involvement by shifting his policy to a sustained bombing campaign. -
Outbreak of Korean War
Convinced American officials that the Soviet Union had begun a major push to impose communism on East Asia. Truman authorized a massive program of military air to French forced fighting in Vietnam. -
Tet Offensive
Vietcong and North
Vietnamese launched a massive surprise attack. The guerrilla fighters attacked virtually all American air bases in South Vietnam and most of the South's major cities and provincial capitals -
Vietnamization
the process of the gradual withdrawal of U.S. troops while South Vietnam assumed more of the fighting -
US withdrawal of troops
Known as Vietnamization, Nixon announced the withdrawal of 25,000 troops. He refused to see the withdrawal as a surrender. -
Secret peace negotiations between U.S and North Vietnam begin
Kissinger wanted to cut back aid supplies for North Vietnam. Kissinger entered into secret negotiations with north Vietnam;s negotiator. 4 hours into the negotiation Le Duc Tho and Kissinger argued over a possible cease-fire, the return of American prisoners of war, and the ultimate fate of South Vietnam. -
Kent State
National Guard soldiers armed with tear gas and rifles, fired without told to do so. The soldiers killed 4 students and wounded at least nine others -
Tonkin Resolution
Congress repealed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution which had given the president near complete power in directing the war in Vietnam. -
Pentagon Papers
Documents revealed that many government officials during the Johnson administration privately questioned the war while publicly defending it. The documents contained details of decision that were made by the Presidents and their advisers without the consent of Congress. Also showed various administrations acted to deceive Congress, press, and the public about the situation in Vietnam. The Pentagon Papers confirmed that the government had not been honest with the Americans -
26th Amendment
prohibits the states and the federal government from denying the right of US citizens. Driven in large part by the broader student activism movement protesting the Vietnam War. -
War Powers Act
Congress passed the act as a way to reestablish some limits on executive power. -
South Vietnam surrender
Gave up their capital
