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Ho Chi Minhs birth
Ho Chi Minh went on the be the president of North Vietnam from 1954-1969. He was the first leader of Vietnam's nationalist movement. In Vietnam he was referred to as "Uncle Ho" and viewed as a national hero. -
Vietnam declares independence but isn't recognized
Vietnam declares independence from France but isn't recognized they them or the U.S.. To win over the us Ho Chi Minh models his declaration on U.S. Declaration of Independence but doesn't work and rejects French proposal for Vietnam limited self-government. North continued to oppose South regimes. -
Domino Theory
The Domino Theory is the thought that an event in one country will lead to similar events in surrounding countries. Eisenhower was concerned this would happen in Vietnam with communism and needed to prevent that. -
Geneva Accords
April- July, These accords caused Vietnam to be split into a north and south. Vietnam was to be divided at the 17th parallel. -
Dien Bien Phu
The Viet Minh and Ho Chi Minh defeat the French at Dien Bien Phu. The United States took over the anti-communist fight which led to 20 more years of fighting in Vietnam. -
Ngo Dinh Diem cancels elections
Diem refused to hold elections because he knew he would lose to Ho Chi Minh. The Vietnamese people were voting on who would represent them although they really had little say. -
National Liberation Front
Also known as the Viet Cong was an organization in South Vietnam and Cambodia. Their goals were too over throw the government. -
Monk sets himself on fire in protest.
A monk died burning himself to protest the Vietnamese government at the time. Mohamed Bouazizi was a Buddhist. -
U.S withdraws support of Ngo Dinh Deim.
U.S. originally supported him because they saw him as against communism. After their withdrawal Deim was assassinated. -
Assassination of JFK
After JFK was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald, Lyndon B. Johnson was put into power. Under his presidency he increased the US involvement with the Vietnamese, which if JFK was still alive we might have been pulled out instead. -
Johnson claims Viet. fire on U.S.S Maddox
This, unknown to be fully true, event caused the U.S to become more involved in taking the Vietnamese down. With this happening LBJ said "take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prevent further aggression" and is today called the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. -
First troops arrive in Vietnam
The U.S. advisors were sent from 1955-1965 before the troops. These troops were sent by Kennedy.
