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Diem Coup
The U.S. suported a coup that succesfully overthrew Diem in South Vietnam. -
Gulf of Tonkin Incident
North Vietnamese patrol boat fires on the USS Maddox in the Gulf of Tonkin. Two days later, the USS Maddox fired back. This led to the start of the Vietnam War although it is not entirely clear who fired first. -
Tonkin Gulf Resolution
In the aftermath of the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, Congress gave President Johnson the power to send troops in to Vietnam without declaring war. -
Operation Rolling Thunder
The U.S. invades Vietnam as retaliation for the Gulf of Tonkin Incident. 50,000 troops are sent to Vietnam. -
Tet Offensive
On the Buddhist holiday of Tet, 80,000 Vietcong attack Southern Vietnam. The Vietcong take most of the South but are pushed back by U.S. troops. This was a big sign that the war would not be over soon. -
My Lai Massacare
The U.S. army killed anywhere from 300 to 500 innocent Vietnamese in the village of My Lai. Afterwards, many U.S. soldiers gang-raped women and mutilated bodies. -
Election of 1968
Richard Nixon is elected president of the United States as the Republican candidate. He promises an end to the war in Vietnam.
