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Ho Chi Minh is born.
Minh spoke out for Vietnamese independence while he lived in France. In 1930, he founded the Indochinese Communist Party and founded Viet Minh in 1941. He took over North Vietnam and declared himself as president. -
Vietnam declares independence from France, but neither France nor the United States recognize Vietnam as a separate nation.
Viet Minh seized forces in the city of Hanoi and declared themselves a Democratic State of Vietnam which Ho Chi Minh as president. The French were able to gain control of South Vietnam whild Chiang Kai-Shek tried to begin negotiations for the French to recognize Vietnam's independence. -
President Eisenhower declares "Domino Theory."
Eisenhower mentioned the theory in a news conference by referring to communism in Indochina. He explains the theory as if one nation got taken under communist rule then the neighboring nations and states would quickly fall under communism rule. He believed Vietnam would fall to communism rule if it didn't get any help. -
The Viet Minh and Ho Chi Minh defeat the French at Dien Bien Phu.
Before the battle the U.S was reluctant into getting into the war. After the French were defeated, the United States decided it was time to join the war and send troops over there. -
The Geneva Accords cause Vietnam to be split into North and South.
The Geneva accords split Vietnam at the 17th parallel. This was important because it split Vietnam into North and South with different beliefs. -
Ngo Dinh Diem cancels elections in Vietnam.
Diem knew that if elections were held Ho Chi Minh would win over him. Diem knew Minh would make Vietnam a communist nation if he won. The election was intended to decide the next president of Vietnam. -
The National Liberation Front is formed.
This group was also known at Viet Cong. The army was for North Vietnam; however, they were located in South Vietnam to attack the southern side. -
The United States withdraws support Ngo Dinh Diem, leader of South Vietnam
After Kennedy asked Diem to stop the persecutions, Diem was assassinated by a military coup from the United States. This toppled Diem’s regime so that South Vietnam could remain stable. -
A South Vietnamese monk sets himself on fire.
A Buddhist monk, Quang Duc, set himself on fire in the street of Saigon. He did this to protest the persecution of Buddhists by the government of South Vietnam. -
President Kennedy is assassinated, leading to the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson
Historians suggest that if Kennedy had lived he would have pulled troops out from Vietnam and resist the pressure of escalating the war. The Vietnam war could have been shorter than it really was is JFK was not assassinated. -
President Johnson claims a U.S ship had been fired upon by the North Vietnamese
Johnson claimed that the U.S.S Maddox had been attacked by North Vietnam. In response, he passes the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution on August 7, 1964 which allowed him to "take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States." -
The first combat troops arrive in Vietnam.
The United States Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG) was established in Saigon. U.S military advisors were sent around September of 1950.
