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Geneva Accords
France, America, and various other countries meet in Geneva, Switzerland, to come to an agreement as to what to do with Vietnam now that it was no longer under French rule. It is decided to split Vietnam along the 17th parallel, creating North Vietnam, which was Communist, and South Vietnam, which was anti-Communist. -
Tonkin Gulf Resolution
After the North Vietnamese aimed a torpedo at a US destroyer patrolling in their waters, the US retaliated with far greater damage. The Tonkin Gulf Resolution was a resolution given by President Lyndon B. Johnson to give him more military power over troops in Vietnam and asking for bombing strikes after the destroyer's crew reported further fire from the other side. -
Operation Rolling Thunder
President Johnson responded harshly to the deaths of eight Americans killed in a Vietcong attack. Operation Rolling Thunder unleashes bombs across North Vietnam from aerial attack. -
The Tet Offensive
During the Buddhist holiday of Tet, the Vietcong launched a massive attack on US forces, even infiltrating the American embassy in Vietnam. While troop morale plummeted and anti-war feelings grew, South Vietnam and the US attacked with more casualties to the Vietcong. -
My Lai Massacre
US troops had been using seek-and-destroy methods to attempt to root out suspected Vietcong members. The village in My Lai was stormed by troops under suspected alliance and attacked, between 300-500 killed and the village burned. -
Kent State Shooting
Soldiers were sent in to deal with students at Kent State University in Ohio when they burned down a Reserve Officers' Training Corps building in protest of the war. Rather than deal with the situation calmly, the guards opened fire, killing four students and harming several others. -
The 26th Amendment
College students tried effortlessly to avoid the draft, feigning medical issues and receiving college deferments, though later claiming it was unfair for them to be risking their lives if they weren't even allowed drinking or voting privileges. The 26th Amendment was ratified, giving citizens eighteen years or older voting privileges.
