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Gulf of Tonkin Incident
Vitenam boats allegedly fire at USS Maddox destroyer. On April 7, with approval by congress, President Johnson says the U.S. is at war with Vietnam. -
Period: to
Vietnam War
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Marines in Danang
First American combat troops, the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, arrive in Vietnam to defend a U.S. airfield. -
President Johnson's meeting
Presidetn Johnson meets with Southern Vietnam's Premier Nguyen Cao Ky in Honolulu to say the U.S. will help fight off North Vietnam if the south puts effort into spreading democracy through the country. -
Operation Cedar Falls begins
A major ground war effort begins. 16,000 U.S. troops and 14,000 S. Vietnam troops set out to destroy Vietcong operations and supply sites near Saigon. -
Tet Offensive begins
The Vietcong make a major show of force, forcing U.S. troops to recapture lost areas. Though they are physcially successful, this is a huge psychological loss for American soldiers. -
My Lai Massacre
An angry officer orders his troops to slaugter many innocent civilians in a small Vietnamese village. This caused more psychological damage to some troops, and caused Americans to begin thinking about the war on a deeper level. -
Demonstration
A massive anti-war demonstration takes place in Washington D.C. where many Americans express their anger at U.S. involvement in Vietnam. -
Kent State Massacre
4 students are shot and killed by National Guardsmen at Kent State University in Ohio during a demonstration, creating even more public uproar and further dividing American opinions on the war. -
Pentagon Papers released
Papers are published in the New York Times concerning highly secretive information about the U.S. and Vietnam. The Nixon Administration takes the case to the Supreme Court where the court rules in favor of the New York Times, allowing the "Pentagon Papers," to continue to be printed. -
Nixon cuts troops
President Nixon cuts troop levels in Vietnam by70,000 showing the United States is near the end of its involvement in the war. -
Troops leave
The draft ends and the last U.S. soldier leaves Vietnam. -
Nixon resigns
Richard Nixon resigns from his position as the President of the Unisted States after the Watergate Scandle. Vice President Gerald Ford fills the position. -
Ford says the war is "finished"
President Ford states that as far as the United States is concerned, the Vietnam War is "finished."
