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Geneva Conference
The Geneva Confernce was significant because at the Geneva Conference, the French negotiated a ceasefire agreement with the Viet Minh, and independence was granted to Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. -
Vietcong Formation
The Viet Cong or National Liberation Front, was a political organization/ army in South Vietnam and Cambodia that fought the United States and South Vietnamese governments during the Vietnam War, and emerged on the winning side. -
War begins
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Special Forces-- Group 559
A specialized North Vietnamese Army unit, Group 559, is formed to create a supply route from North Vietnam to Vietcong forces in South Vietnam. Group 559 develops a primitive route along the Vietnamese/Cambodian border. -
First Helicopters to arrive
The USNS Core arrives in Saigon, with the first U.S. helicopter unit with 400 crewmen. -
Agent Orange
The U.S. Air Force launches Operation Ranch Hand to deny the Vietcong the use of the road and trails. Using a defoliating herbicide named "Agent Orange", over 10% of the vegetation in Vietnam is destroyed during the course of the war. The defoliant also causes severe disabilities among Vietnam veterans. -
"Temple Run"
Troops loyal to Diem dress up as regular troops and attack Buddhist temples and sanctuaries throughout the country. President Kennedy denounces the attacks. -
S.O.S
The captain of the U.S.S. Maddox reports that his vessel has been fired on and that an attack is imminent. A retaliation against North Vietnam is ordered by President Johnson. American jets bomb two naval bases, and destroy a major oil facility. Two U.S. planes are downed in the attack. -
Tonkin Resolution
When the Tonkin Resolution was presentec to the congress it was passed with flying colors. Only being opposed by two senators because they claimed that “this was sending our troops in to fight a war that wasn’t ours.” and that it was an unnecessary action that we didn’t need to take Vietnamization. The T.R allowed significant authorization to Lindon B. Johnson -
Test Run
Two days before the U.S. presidential election, Vietcong mortars shell Bien Hoa Air Base near Saigon. Four Americans are killed, 76 wounded. Five B-57 bombers are destroyed, and 15 are damaged. -
Operation Rolling Thunder
The four objectives of the operation were to boost the sagging morale of the Saigon regime, to persuade North Vietnam to cease its support for the communist insurgency in South Vietnam without taking any ground forces into communist North Vietnam, to destroy North Vietnam's transportation system, industrial base, and air defenses, and to cease the flow of men and material into South Vietnam. -
First MIG attacks
The first series of raids against bridges on the road to Hanoi begins. In the course of this raid, North Vietnamese MIGS (Russian-built fighter aircraft) attack U.S. planes. -
Head-to-Dead
Hoping for head-on clashes with the enemy, U.S. forces launch four search and destroy missions in the month of February. Although there are two minor clashes with Vietcong regiments, there are no major conflicts. -
Operation Birmingam
In Operation Birmingham, more than 5,000 U.S. troops, backed by huge numbers of helicopters and armored vehicles, sweep the area around north of Saigon. There are small scale actions between both armies, but over a three week period, only 100 Vietcong are killed. Most battles are dictated by the Vietcong, who prove elusive. -
Tet Offensive
The Tet Offensive was a military campaign during the Vietnam War that was launched by forces of the Viet Cong and North Vietnam against South Vietnam, the United States, and their allies. It was a campaign of surprising attacks that were launched against military and civilian commands in South Vietnam. -
U.S withdrawl of troops
The 814 soldiers were the first of 25,000 troops that were withdrawn in the first stage of the U.S. disengagement from the war. There would be 14 more increments in the withdrawal, but the last U.S. troops did not leave until after the Paris Peace Accords -
Kent State
The Kent State shootings included the firing of 67 rounds in just about 13 seconds. The Ohio National Guard killed four, and injurerd nine students. -
26th Amendment
The 26th Amendment was a huge debacle in 1970 that discussed lowering the voting age to 18. The amendment was passed and ratified in Marc h of 1971. -
Vietnamization
Vietnamization was an action that was taken by Nixon that allowed for the U.S to have a new strategy that aimed for the U.S to end the war by transferring all military responsibilities to South Vietnam -
War Powers Act
The War Powers Resolution of 1973 is a federal law intended to check the president's power to commit the United States to an armed conflict without the consent of Congress. -
South Vietnam Surender
The South Vietnamese surendered on April 30, 1975. Their forcess were quickly crumbling under the North after a surprise attack at Saigon.
