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Ho Chi Minh’s Viet Minh forces defeat French
Ho Chi Minh’s Viet Minh forces defeat the French at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, effectively ending the 7 ½-year Indochina War. -
Period: to
Vietnam war
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conference in Geneva
world powers agree to a divided Vietnam. Communists, led by Ho Chi Minh, control the North. The United States supports an anticommunist government led by Ngo Dinh Diem in the South. -
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy beats Richard Nixon in the U.S. presidential election; Lyndon B. Johnson is vice president. -
John F. Kennedy assassination
ohn F. Kennedy, was assassinated on Friday, November 22, 1963, at 12:30 p.m. in Dallas, Texas while riding in a presidential motorcade in Dealey Plaza. killed by Lee Harvey Oswald. -
Gulf of Tonkin incident
Two supposed incidents in the Gulf of Tonkin lead Johnson to seek congressional approval for direct U.S. involvement in Vietnam. -
U.S. troops increase 180,000
In July 1965 President Johnson took a fateful step: he agreed to send 180,000 American troops to Vietnam. The number of US troops increased over the next three years until there were 540,000 American soldiers in Vietnam. -
Increase of 50,000 U.S troops
President Lyndon B. Johnson announces that he has ordered an increase in U.S. military forces in Vietnam, from the present 75,000 to 125,000. -
Surprise attack
During the Tet Offensive, North Vietnamese, and Viet Cong troops launch surprise attacks against targets throughout South Vietnam. Taking harmless citizens into captive. -
American soliders killed unarmed civilians
over the short time, American soldiers killed 500 unarmed civilians by the hamlet of My Lai -
Nixon elected President
Nixon is elected president, promising to end the war in Vietnam. -
Lam son 719
The South Vietnamese launch operation Lam Son 719 against North Vietnamese forces in Laos, which ends in defeat. -
Cease-fire agreement
Cease-fire agreement is reached between U.S. and North Vietnam, U.S. POWs begin to return home. -
Last of combat troops return home.
The last remaining American troops withdraw from Vietnam as President Nixon declares "the day we have all worked and prayed for has finally come." America's longest war, and its first defeat. -
Nixon leaves office.
Nixon resigned in the face of almost certain impeachment and removal from office. After his resignation, he was issued a controversial pardon by his successor, Gerald Ford. -
Saigon falls
The surrender of Saigon was announced by the South Vietnamese president, General Duong Van Minh: "We are here to hand over to you the power in order to avoid bloodshed." General Minh had become South Vietnam’s president for two days as the country crumbled.
