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President Truman sends advisors to Vietnam
After WW2 had ended, the French shifted their focus back to Vietnam. At first, Truman stayed neutral on the conflict, but in 1950 he started to send equipment and advisors to aid to the French. This was the first time the US had gotten involved in Vietnam. -
The Geneva Accords are signed
After the Vietnamese defeated the French, there was a conference held between world powers. Vietnam wanted independence from foreign powers. The US and South Vietnam however, did not sign the Accords. This led to tensions between North and South Vietnam with the US being in the middle. -
President Eisenhower backs Ngo Dihn Diem
The French had been defeated in Vietnam in 1954. Eisenhower wanted to stay out of Vietnam but also did not want to completely abandon it. He decided to send over 2 billion dollars worth of weapons to South Vietnam over a course of 5 years. He also increased the total number of military advisors to roughly 1000 -
JFK provides the South with jets and helicopters
When JFK was elected in 1960, many believed he was soft when it came to communism. He responded by providing the South with jet fighters, helicopters, and other tools for war. JFK also increased to number of military advisors to 16,000. -
JFK and Diem are assassinated
With the assassination of the President and the leader of Vietnam, new leaders came to power. South Vietnam was a political mess and Johnson had a different philosophy than JFK. Johnson started to increase troop counts in Vietnam. -
LBJ responds to the Gulf of Tonkin incident
On August 2nd of 1964, the US was attacked by the Vietnam for the first time. Torpedos were sent at US ships of the Gulf of Tonkin. Three days later on August 5th, the US retaliated by bombing the North -
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution is passed
The Gulf on Tonkin resoluton essientally gave President Johnson as much freedom as he wanted when it came to Vietnam. LBJ heavily increased the amount of troops in Vietnam and sent ground troops over. -
The White House authorizes operation Flaming Dart
In response to the Viet Cong attacking American troops, the US decided to bomb the North. This operation then combined with operation rolling thunder. The US was heavily bombing the North. -
Operation Rolling Thunder is carried out
Operation Rolling Thunder approved mass bombings of North Vietnam. The bombings were not as successful as advisors thought they would be and we were forced to increase troop counts. We found out we could not win the war by bombing and needed boots on the ground -
US gets in a major battle with the Viet Cong
The US launched its first major offensive against the North during Operation Starlite. Nearly 5000 American soldiers dominated the north in the battle, and killed or captured nearly a quarter of them. -
The US and Australia work together
A joint US-Australian mission was conducted to find the headquarters of the Viet-Cong. The mission was unsuccessful and no major base was found. -
Nixon widens the war
Although Nixon was the President that got us out of Vietnam, when he was first elected he escalated the conflict. Nixon invaded and bombed the surrounding countries of Laos and Cambodia. This was meant to disrupt North Vietnam supply lines.