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Ho Chi Minh declares an independent Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh declares an independent Vietnam, called the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. -
Battle of Dien Bien Phu
The French suffer a decisive defeat at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. -
The Geneva Accords
The Geneva Accords creates a cease-fire for the peaceful withdrawal of the French from Vietnam and provides a temporary boundary between North and South Vietnam at the 17th parallel. -
South Vietnam declares itself a Republic
South Vietnam declares itself the Republic of Vietnam, with newly elected Ngo Dinh Diem as president. -
Period: to
Vietnam War
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NLF is Established
The National Liberation Front (NLF), also called the Viet Cong, is established in South Vietnam. -
Ngo Dinh Diem is Assassinated
South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem is executed during a coup. -
Gulf of Tonkin incident
North Vietnamese attack two U.S. destroyers sitting in international waters. -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
In response to the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, the U.S. Congress passes the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. -
Operation Rolling Thunder
A sustained U.S. aerial bombing campaign of North Vietnam begins called Operation Rolling Thunder. -
The U.S. arrives in Vietnam
The first U.S. combat troops arrive in Vietnam. -
Tet Offensive
The North Vietnamese join forces with the Viet Cong to launch the Tet Offensive, attacking approximately one hundred South Vietnamese cities and towns. -
My Lai Massacre
U.S. soldiers kill hundreds of Vietnamese civilians in the town of Mai Lai. -
Ho Chi Minh dies
Communist revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh dies at age 79. -
The American public learns of the My Lai massacre
News about the My Lai Massacre reaches america. The brutality of the My Lai killings and the extent of the cover-up exacerbated growing antiwar sentiment on the home front in the United States and further divided the nation over the continuing American presence in Vietnam. -
Cambodian Campaign
President Nixon announces that U.S. troops will attack enemy locations in Cambodia. This news sparks nationwide protests, especially on college campuses. -
Pentagon Papers are leaked
Portions of the Pentagon Papers are leaked. They are published in The New York Times. -
Paris Peace Accords
The Paris Peace Accords are signed that provide a cease-fire between America and North Vietnam. The agreement concluded America's direct military participation in the Vietnam War. -
The US withdraws from Vietnam
The last U.S. troops are withdrawn from Vietnam.
