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Vietminh
Hoi Chi Minh organizes a nationalist group called the Vietminh. Hoi Chi was born in 1890 in central Vietnam. -
French Drive Out Vietminh
French troops drive out the Vietminh into hiding. The French officials set up a new government. -
Truman in Office
Shortly after the Korean War began, Truman authorized a missive program of military aid to the French forces in Vietnam. Eisenhower continued to support the French campaign in Vietnam. -
French Force Falls
The French force at Dien Bien Phu fell to the Vietminh. The defeat convinced the French to make peace and withdraw from Indochina. -
Vietcong
Hoi Chi and his followers organized an new guerilla army known as the Vietcong. By 1961, the Vietcong had assassinated thousands of government officials and established control over much of the countryside. -
Eisenhower Takes Action
Eisenhower increased american aid and sent hundreds of military advisors to train South Vietnam's army. -
Kennedy Takes Office
Kennedy takes office and continues to with the policy of sending more advisors to Vietnam. Kennedy saw the southeast asian country as vitally important in the battle against communism. -
Diem and Kennedy Assassinated
Diem was overthrown by Vietnamese generals and three weeks later, Kennedy was assassinated. Lyndon Johnson took over. -
NVA Torpedo Attack
NVA torpedo boats fired upon two american destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin. Two days later the president reported that another similar attack had taken place. -
Johnson's Orders
Johnson insisted that the NVA attacks were unprovoked and immediately ordered American aircraft to attack NVA ships and naval facilities. -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
The senate and house passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. This authorizes the president to "take all the necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the U.S. and to prevent further aggression." -
Operation Rolling Thunder
President Johnson runs a bombing campaign operation named Rolling Thunder. That month Johnson sends in the first combat troops into Vietnam. -
War on Television
Vietnam was the first "television war" with footage of combat appearing nightly on the evening news. -
March on Washington
Students for a democratic society organized a march on Washington in attempt to not support the war. -
Napalm
American planes drop napalm to destroy the landscape so they can see through the jungles. They also used Agent Orange, a chemical that strips leaves from trees and shrubs. -
Draft Unfair to African Americans
Due to the draft system, many blacks were sent to Vietnam because they couild not afford college. By 1967, blacks accounted for more than 20 percent of american combat deaths. -
Casualties
By the end of 1966, more than 6,700 american soldiers have been killed. -
Tet Offensive
The Vietcong and NVA launched a massive surprise attack on all american airbases and many major cities in South Vietnam -
MLK Shot
Earl Ray was arrested for shooting MLK at his hotel balcony. -
Massacre
An american platoon under the command of Lt. Williams massacred more than 200 South Vietnamese civilians at My Lai. -
Robert Kennedy Shot
Two months after MLK was shot, Robert Kennedy was gunned down in a California hotel just after winning the states Democratic primary. -
Nixon Takes Office
Nixon defeated Humphrey by more than 100 electoral votes and won the popular vote 43 percent to 42. -
26th Ammendment
The 26th ammendment was ratified giving citizens of 18 and older to vote. -
Christmas Bombings
American B-52's dropped thousands of tons of bombs on NVA targets for 11 straight days to set the NVA to resume negotiations for peace. -
Peace
An agreement is signed to end the war and restore peace in Vietnam. -
Evacuation
Johnson pulls the last of the American troops out of Vietnam. The war cost the nation $170 billion, approximately 58,000 dead and over 300,000 wounded.
