-
Period: to
Vietnam War
Communist North vs. Anticommunist South -
Period: to
Korean War
-
Period: to
US aids French
United States aids French with war effort in Indochina -
SEATO
United States supports South Vietnam against communism; SEATO is formed. -
Divided Vietnam
World powers agree to a divided Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh leads the Communist North Vietnam, while the United States leads South Vietnam. -
End of Indochina War
Ho Chi Minh’s Viet Minh forces defeat the French at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, ending the Indochina War. -
JFK Elected
John F. Kennedy wins the U.S. presidential election against Richard Nizon; Lyndon B. Johnson is vice president. -
National Liberation Front
Some South Vietnamese, backed by the North Vietnamese Communist Party, form the National Liberation Front aka the Vietcong. -
Bay of Pigs
United States CIA fail the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba. -
Operation Ranch Hand
US aircraft starts spraying Agent Orange and other herbicides over rural areas of South Vietnam to kill vegetation that would offer cover and food to Vietnamese. -
Buddhist Crisis
The government of Ngo Dinh Diem opens fire on a crowd of Buddhist protestors in the central Vietnam city of Hue, 8 people died. -
JFK Assassinated
Kennedy is assassinated and Johnson becomes president. -
Gulf of Tonkin
Two US destroyers stationed in the Gulf of Tonkin in Vietnam were fired upon by North Vietnamese forces, in response President Johnson requested permission from the U.S. Congress to increase the U.S. military presence in Indochina. -
Period: to
Vietnam First Battles
In the Ia Drang Valley, American troops fight their first large scale battles against the North Vietnamese Army. -
Period: to
Border Battles
U.S. Army and Marines face multiple onslaughts from North Vietnamese in border battles. -
Period: to
Antiwar Protests
In the United States, thousands of antiwar protesters gather for demonstrations in New York’s Central Park and in Washington. -
Period: to
Tet Offense
A series of communist major attacks, often surprise attacks. -
My Lai
American soldiers kill more than 500 unarmed civilians in the city of My Lai. -
Nixon Elected
Nixon is elected president and promises to end the war in Vietnam. -
Draft
he United States government institutes a draft, prompting more young American men aka “draft dodgers", to flee to Canada. -
Kent State Shooting
Four students at Kent State are shot by National Guardsmen during an antiwar protest. -
Period: to
The Easter Offense
The South Vietnamese repelled North Vietnamese forces in the Easter Offense invasions by the North. -
Cease-fire Agreement
Cease-fire agreement is made between the United States and North Vietnam, United States prisoners of war return home. -
US out of South Vietnam
The final Unites States combat troops leave South Vietnam. -
Nixon resigns; Ford is President
Nixon resigns due to likely impeachment after the Watergate Scandal is revealed; Ford becomes president. -
Vietnam Memorial
The Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Wall is opened in Washington, DC.
