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Ho Chi Minh helps create the Indochinese Communist Party
Although this was prior to the actual VIetnam War, I think this was a crucial event in helping understand many of Ho Chi Minh's actions later on in the war. -
Ho Chi Minh declares an independent Vietnam, called the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.
This was important as a first spark in what would become the large struggle and war in Vietnam. -
The French suffer a decisive defeat.
After years of stuggle over conflicts in VIetnam, the French ordered a cease fire after the Battle of Dien Bien Phu after great losses were suffered on both ends. -
The Geneva Accords creates a cease-fire for the peaceful withdrawal of the French from Vietnam
This provided the very famous temporary boundary between North and South Vietnam at the 17th parallel. -
The United States pledges $15 million worth of military aid to France to help them fight in Vietnam.
This marked the first involvement for the United States in the war even though it was relatively indirect. -
North Vietnamese attack two U.S. destroyers sitting in international waters
This was very important in sparking the early stages of the United States involvement in the war. After the Tonkin incident the U.S retaliated after direct orders by President Johnson -
Operation Rolling Thunder Begins
The United States begins its aerial bombing campaign against North Vietnam. This was important because in it President Johnson hoped to force North Vietnam to stop supporting Vietcong guerrillas in the South. -
The First U.S. Troops Land in Vietnam
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North Vietnamese join forces with the Viet Cong to launch the Tet Offensive
This was a brutal attack in which approximately one hundred South Vietnam cities and towns were attacked. -
U.S. soldiers kill hundreds of Vietnamese civilians in the town of Mai Lai.
This event is important because it shows one of the reasons for why this war was extremely controversial especially once the public was made aware of this incident. -
Rolling Storm Comes to an End
This campaign was very effective yet it proved very costly to the American people. The campaign cost more than 900 American aircraft and eight hundred and eighteen pilots were dead or missing, with hundreds of others in captivity.Although at least 120 Vietnamese planes were detroyed in combat, it also came at the expense of friendly fire and uninentional civilion deaths. -
Ho Chi Minh Dies at 79
Ho Chi Minh was one of the largest figures in the war so his death was definetly an event worth noting. He was a huge source of pride for much of the Vietnamese people and he was one of the original founding members of its Communist party. He is still revered deeply by many in Vietnam. -
The last U.S. troops are withdrawn from Vietnam.
After much protest and controversy in the nation, all United States troops were removed from a war that had become very brutal. This was important not only in the context of the war, but in American culture. -
South Vietnam Surrenders to the Communists
This marked the official end of the Vietnam war. American troops have been removed. During the course of the war, nearly a million North Vietnamese and Vietcong troops and an estimated quarter of a million South Vietnamese soldiers died. In addition, hundreds of thousands of civilians were killed. -
Vietnam is unified as a Communist Country
The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is officially instituted signifying the culmination of all the events relative to the war in the previous few decades
