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Vietnamese Conflict - Rise & Fall
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Vietnam Declares Independence from France
Ho Chi Minh declared an independent Vietnam and called it the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. -
Geneva Conference
A conference in Geneva, Switzerland that involved diplomats from over 100 nations designed to secure peace during the war. It was quickly drafted and would prove to be unsuccessful and just contribute to the war. Many people either didn't sign it or they signed it under pressure. The accords allowed a 300 day grace period for the vietnamese to go to either North or South Vietnam, based on preference. The U.S. quickly assisted those wishing to move to the south. About 660,000 people moved South. -
South Vietnam becomes Republic of Vietnam
South Vietnam declares itself as the Republic of Vietnam and elects Ngo Dinh Diem as their president. -
JFK Takes Office
Kennedy takes office and carries on Dwight Eisenhower's support of South Vietnam and containing communism and believes in the Domino Theory. JFK wants to increase the size of the South Vietnam army, but it would be against the Geneva agreement in 1954. Fully supportive of South Vietnam and Diem's gov't. -
Lyndon B. Johnson Succeeds JFK
After Kennedy's assassination, LBJ took office. He was encouraged to have more U.S. military involvement in the war, but he knew that it was a bad idea considering he had an upcoming election in Nov. 1964. He still wants to contain communism, like the past 2 presidents, but he does not want to make the war bigger. However, he didn't want to appear as a weak leader, and he authorized 'Operation Rolling Thunder' in 1965. -
Tonkin Resolution
President Lyndon B. Johnson announced on August 2, 1964 that two U.S. ships had been attacked in the Gulf of Tonkin by North Vietnam. Johnson in return sent U.S. planes against the atttackers and then asked Congress to pass a resolution to basically justify his actions. Congress passed the Tonkin Resolution Aug 7. It supports his actions in saying "to promote the maintenance of international peace and security in southeast Asia". However, it said nothing about an undeclared war following. -
Op. Rolling Thunder
Operation Rolling Thunder was the name given to the strategic bombings throughout North Vietnam by U.S. military aircrafts from March 1965 - October 1968. It was the first act that really expanded the United States' involvement in Vietnam and was intended to put military pressure on North Vietnam. It was intended to last only 8 weeks, but it ended up lasting for 3 years. -
Tet Offensive
Early Jan. 30, Viet Cong forces and North Vietnam troops attacked cities and towns in South Vietnam. (a ceasefire had been called for for Tet - Vietnamese lunar new year). Communists attacked over 100 major locations ferociously, but the U.S. & South Vietnam fought back. The communists thought they would have a lot of support, but they were repelled quickly by many. Overall, the United States won because the communists simply could not maintain control over any of South Vietnam. -
My Lai Massacre
A group of American soldiers brutally killed a majority of the population in the South Vietnamese hamlet of My Lai and it remained a secret between high-ranking U.S. Army officers until an entire year later. An estimate of 500 young children, women, elderly people and men were killed at My Lai. My Lai was believd to be a stronghold of the Viet Cong, and was targetted by the U.S. and South Vietnam's frequent bombing attacks. U.S. troops were advised that anyone in My Lai is VC or VC supporters. -
Vietnamization
A policy of the Nixon administration stumbled upon during the Vietnam War at a meeting which placed the responsibility of carrying on the war on South Vietnam so as to allow U.S. troops to withdraw. -
Kent State Massacre
The invasion of Cambodia triggered many rallys on campuses. Students organized rallys and gave fiery speaches about the war and the Nixon administration. People acted out in destruction against public property, blocking off roads, breaking some windows, and even threatening businesses. The mayor called in the Ohio National Guard for support, the guardsmen felt like their lives were "threatened", and fired on unarmed students. It lasted 13 seconds and killed 4 students while injuring 9. -
Jackson State Killings
Only days after the Kent State shooting, a shooting at Jackson State University killed 2 African American students and injured many. No campus was free of these protests against the war. On top of the war, blacks heard that Medger Evers brother was shot and killed and it resulted in retaliation. It was reported that they threw rocks at white people passing, set several fires, and angrily rioted. Police arrived and rioters threw bricks, the police advanced on them and eventually opened fire. -
26th Amendment
The 26th Amendment lowered the legal voting age from 21 years old to 18 years old. It prohibits the government from denying anyone 18 years of age or older the right to vote. "Old enough to fight, old enough to vote". -
U.S. Withdraws Troops
All parties agreed to a cease-fire, the withdrawal of every U.S. troop, the releasing of all prisoners of war, and they also agreed to create an international force to keep the peace. South Vietnam was essentially on its own, and North Vietnam troops were allowed to remain stationed. By the end of 1973, all U.S. troops were out of Sout Vietnam. -
War Powers Resolution
The resolution made it so that the president could only send U.S. armed forces to fight only if Congress declared war, unless in an emergency where the U.S. is under attack or otherwise stated. It requires the President to notify Congress 48 hours before "committing armed forces to military action", and the troops can only remain for 60 days. It has since been violated by President Bill Clinton in 1999. -
South Vietnam Surrenders to North Vietnam
North Vietnamese forces advanced rapidly, causing South Vietnamese forces to collapse. North Vietnam had taken over much of South Vietnam, including the Presidential Palace in Saigon. The North captured the South's president and his entire cabinet, and Minh really didn't have much to surrender, but he did eventually order all troops to surrender. -
Vietnam United as One
Vietnam finally unifies, but as a communist country called the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
