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Ho Chi Minh is born
Ho Chi Minh goes on to leat the North Vietnamese communists in the Vietnam war. -
Vietnam declares independence from France, but neither France nor the United States recognize Vietnam as a separate nation
This event is important because, in response to not being recognized as a separate nation, North Vietnam attacks South Vietnam. When they capture the South Vietnamese capital, Saigon, it is renamed Ho Chi Minh City. -
Ngo Dinh Diem cancels elections in Vietnam
In the election that Ngo Dinh Diem canceled, unifying the country was going to be voted on. He canceled it because he knew Ho Chi Minh was very popular among the people and didn't want to give up his power over South Vietnam. This causes him to lose the support of the United States. -
President Eisenhower declares "Domino Theory"
The idea between the Domino Theory and Vietnam was that if Vietnam fell to communism then the surrounding countries would as well. This event made the public more concerned and debate on getting involved. -
The Viet Minh and Ho Chi Minh defeat the French at Dien Bien Phu.
This is important because this is the battle that convinced the United States to join the war and aid the French. -
The Geneva Accords cause Vietnam to be split into North and South
The 17th parallel split North Vietnam and South Vietnam. Only North Vietnam supported this, but it was still passed. -
The National Liberation Front is formed
The National Liberation Front was also called the Viet Cong. They occupied South Vietnam. -
The United States withdraws support of Ngo Dinh Diem, leader of South Vietnam.
After the United States withdraws support of him, Ngo Dinh Diem was assassinated during a coup by opposition generals on November 2, 1963. -
A South Vietnamese monk sets himself on fire.
This man was a Buddhist. He did this to protest the South Vietnamese government persecuting Buddhists. This got other countries' attention. -
President Kennedy is assassinated.
Lyndon B. Johnson goes on to be the new president. He gets the US more involved than before. If JFK had lived, it is predicted that he would of pulled us out of the Vietnam War. -
President Johnson claims a US ship had been fired upon by the North Vietnamese.
The ship that was supposedly fired upon was the USS Maddox. When the public heard this they supported President Johnson in going to war. -
The first combat troops arrive in Vietnam
President Truman sent the Military Assistance Advisory Group to Vietnam in September 1950.
