Vietnam War Era By hanniebarbour May 7, 1954 French defeated by Vietminh at Dien Bien Phu Oct 26, 1955 Ngo Dinh Diem wins rigged election to become president of South Vietnam Oct 21, 1957 U.S. Special Forces first arrive to begin training ARVN soldiers Dec 1, 1960 "National Liberation Front for South Vietnam" formed Jun 11, 1963 Buddist monk Thich Quang Duc self-immolates Nov 2, 1963 Ngo Dinh Diem assassinated Nov 22, 1963 President Kennedy assassinated Aug 4, 1964 Maddox and C. Turner Joy report attack in Gulf of Tonkin Aug 7, 1964 Congress passes Gulf of Tonkin Resolution Mar 2, 1965 Operatoin Rolling Thunder begins Mar 5, 1965 First "teach-in" protest helf at University of Michigan Jan 5, 1967 Nguyen Van Thieu becomes president of South Vietnam Jan 21, 1968 Battle of Khe Sanh begins Jan 30, 1968 The Tet Offensive launched by VietCong and North Vietmanese Army Mar 16, 1968 Lieutenant William Calley and his men involved in My LaiMassacre Mar 31, 1968 President Johnson announces he will not seek reelection Apr 8, 1968 Battle of Khe Sanh ends Nov 1, 1968 Operation Rolling Thunder ends Jun 1, 1969 "Vietnamization" announced by Nixon Sep 2, 1969 Ho Chi Minh dies of heart failure May 4, 1970 Kent State Massacre Jan 27, 1973 Cease-fire signed in Paris Mar 29, 1973 Max Beilke becomes last American combat soldier to leave South Vietnam Apr 30, 1975 America airlifts thousands from Saigon as it falls to Communism Jan 21, 1977 President Carter pardons draft dodgers
