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US aid French
The United States sends $15 million dollars in military aid to the French for the war in Indochina. Included in the aid package is a military mission and military advisors. -
Period: to
Vietnam War
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Eisenhower creates a new theory regarding Southeast Asia
Answering to the defeat of the French by the Vietminh at Dienbienphu, President Eisenhower creates the Domino Theory: "You have a row of dominoes set up. You knock over the first one, and what will happen to the last one is the certainty that it will go over very quickly." -
Diem Becomes President of Republic of Vietnam
Diem defeats Bao Dai in cheats in the election and made himself President of Republic of Vietnam. -
US Training South Vietnamese
The US Military Assistance Advisor Group (MAAG) takes responsibility, from French, for training South Vietnamese forces. -
Communist Insurgency into South Vietnam
Communist insurgent activity in South Vietnam starts. Guerrillas assassinate more than 400 South Vietnamese officials. Thirty-seven armed companies are organized along the Mekong Delta. -
Weapons Moving Along Ho Chi Minh Trail
North Vietnam forms Group 559 to begin smuggle cadres and weapons into South Vietnam using the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The Trail became a strategic target for future military attacks. -
The Hippie Era begins
The Merry Pranksters filmed and audio taped their bus trips, creating a large multimedia experience that would later be shown to the public in the way of festivals and concerts. -
JFK elected as President
JFK defeats Nixon in election and becomes the new US president -
Vietcong Formed
Hanoi makes a National Liberation Front for South Vietnam. Diem government called them "Vietcong." -
JFK is Reported
Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield reports back to JFK from Saigon his opinion that Diem had wasted the two billion dollars America had spent there. -
Diem Overthrown, Murdered
With tacit approval of the United States, operatives within the South Vietnamese military overthrow Diem. He and his brother Nhu are shot and killed in the aftermath -
JFK died
Kennedy's death meant that the problem of how to proceed in Vietnam fell squarely into the lap of his vice president, Lyndon Johnson. -
Agent Orange begins
The US helicopter troops started to spray toxic and chemicals across Vietnamese land. -
Richard Nixon Elected President:
Richard Nixon barely beats out Hubert Humphrey for the presidency. Nixon takes just 43.4 percent of the popular vote, compared to 42.7 percent for Humphrey. -
Lyndon will not run for president.
President Lyndon Johnson shocks the nation and announces that he will not be a candidate for re-election -
Ho Chi Minh Dies
Minh died at age 79, he died of oldness. -
Last American Troops Leave Vietnam
The last of the battle troops are leaving Vietnam. -
Communist Forces Capture Phuoc Long Province:
The South Vietnamese Army loses twenty planes in a failed effort to defend Phuoc Long -
Ford Calls Vietnam War "Finished":
Anticipating the fall of Saigon to Communist forces, US President Gerald Ford, speaking in New Orleans, announces that as far as the US is concerned, the Vietnam War is "finished." -
Last Americans Evacuate as Saigon Falls to Communists
South Vietnamese President Duong Van Minh delivers an unconditional surrender to the Communists.
