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Vietnam War and Surrounding Events
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Defeat of the French
In November of 1953, French troops occupied the village of Dien Bien Phu. The French troops were cautious of jungle warfare, and didn't want to be in it. In 1954, the Vietnimh general Vo Nguyen Giap began to assualt the village to reclaim it. The seige against the French only lasted fifty-seven days, and on May 7th, 1954 the French surrendered. -
Geneva Accords
An agreement was signed between several countries' representatives.These were the French, Laotion, Vietnamese, and Cambodian representatives. This agreement stated: 1. The country was to divided into two parts along the 17th parallel. 2.300 days for each side to withdraw troops to their respective lines. 3. Communist forces were to evacuate Laos & Cambodia. This is where free elections were to be held in the following year and where the French would station troops if requested upon. -
Kennedy Assassination
President John Fitzgerald Kennedy was killed by Lee Harvey Oswald in Dallas, Texas. Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson takes over for him as President -
U.S Maddox Incident
While the US Maddox was patroling the Tonkin Gulf, several smaller US boats were taking S Vietnamese troops to the islands just off the coast of N. Vietnam. During this, three N.Vietnamese fired upon the Maddox. It crippled 2 and sunk the last NV boat. The next day, the Maddox thought it was attacked again. It wasn't these attacks were phantoms from the sonar. Nontheless, LBJ was outraged and pushed the Tonkin Resolution. -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
This gave congressional approval for the Vietnam War to expand. In the Spring, earlier in that year, military stratgists made plans on attacking the North. During this time, LBJ didn't approve. After the "attacks" of the US Maddox, the plans went through and Johnson attacked N. Vietnam. -
Operation Rolling Thunder
President LBJ authorized air operations/attacks on North Vietnam. This was somewhat in response to the attack on a US held airbase by the Viet Cong. Operation Rolling Thunder lasted until October of '68. -
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Tet Offensive
General Vo Nguyen Giap led around 70,000 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops on an attack against cities,towns, and villages in South Vietnam. This general hoped for several things with this offensive. 1. It would cuase the South Vietnam army to collapse. 2. The general believed that there was an unstable alliance between S.Vietnam and US. This attack would be the one to stop their alliance. Thus making America stop defending S. Vietnam. -
My Lai Massacre
In the small hamlet of My Lai, US troops killed around 500 villagers without cause. At first this was covered up. But later in 1970, the officers and soldiers responsible were charged. -
Death of Ho Chi Minh
He was the leader of North Vietnam -
LBJ Leaves Office
The 36h president of America. -
Nixon Enters Office
He was our 37th president. -
Vietnamizatin
President Nixon gave a speech to the American Public about the Vietnamization strategy on this date. This plan was to strengthen the South Vietnam Military. This was to let the gradual withdrawal of the US army. And also to let the South Vietnam take over and defeat Communism -
Kent State Shooings
The Ohio National Guard fired upon a crowd of students at Kent State University. The National Guard killed four students and injured nine other students. The shootings later was a chain reaction to another event. Nationwide, students striked on campuses of other colleges and universities. Thus forcing those colleges and universities to close temporarily. -
The 26th Amendment
This guarenteed the right to vote at age 18 instead of age 21. Old enough to fight, old enough to fight. -
Operation Linebacker II
This is from the result of the ultimatum that Nixon sent to the Hanoi. The NV didn't follow through with this ultimatum and Nixon ordered Operation Linebacker II to be executed. This was the most concentrated air assault in the Vietnam War -
US Wihdraws Troops from Vietnam
Troops are withdrawn because of the Peace Treaty that was signed. This was the Paris Agreement. Troops were susposed to be completely withdrawn within sixty days. -
Last American Soldier to Die
Colonel William Benedict Nolde was the last American soldier to be killed in the Vietnam War. -
War Powers Act
This was made law on this date. This law basically states that the President can send US forces to a country with Congress's approval only by National emergency. -
Fall of Saigon/ Fall of South Vietnam
The North Vietnam army took over Saigon with little resistance coming from the South Vietnam Army. The city was then named Ho Chi Minh City. This was in honour of their late leader.
