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Selective Service Act
The gov. drafted more than 1.5 million men into military service during Vietnam War. -
Eisenhower takes office
Eisenhower continued Truman's policy toward Vietnam. He sent monetary aid to the French, containing the spread of communism -
SEATO forms
The United States and 7 other countries formed the SEATO. Its goal was to contain the spread of communism in Southeast Asia -
The French surrender
The Vietminh trapped a large French garrison at Dien Bien Phu, and laid siege to it for 55 days. They destroyed the French airstrip, cut French supply lines, and dug trenches. -
NLF tries uniting Vietnam to communism
Vietcong launched an insurgency in which they assassinated Gov. officials and destroyed roads and bridges. -
Period: to
The U.S. helps France
The United States contributed 2.6 billion dollars to Frances war efforts. Containing Ho Chi Minhs communist Vietminh -
Kennedy sends troops to South Vietnam
Kennedy sent special forces troops to South Vietnam to advise the army of the Republican of Vietnam on more effective ways to fight the communist forces -
"advisers" were fighting in Vietnam
Although U.S. advisers fought bravely and achieved some success, Diem continued to alienate South Vietnam. -
Johnson faced his first crisis in Vietnam
North Vietnamese torpedo boats fired on the american destroyer USS Maddox as it patrolled the gulf of Tonkin off the coast of North Vietnamese boats. -
Student activism leads to clash
Students at the university of California protested about using university grounds to organize off campus political activities -
Morale declines as the war continues
most American soldiers in Vietnam had been drafted into military service. Americans were dying to defend a nation whos people were unwilling to die to defend themselves -
Hawks and Doves
Congress divided into two camps. Hawks supported Johnson in the containment of communism and doves were passive -
MlK speaks out
Martin Luther King spoke out against the added war burden shouldered by African American soldiers -
MlK'S death
on April 4, a racist assassin shot and killed him in Memphis, Tennessee -
Peace talks
Peace talks had begun, they were bogged down from the outset by disagreements and a lack of compromise -
Violence breaks out at My Lai
U.S. soldiers killed about four and five hundred Vietnamese after American troops had been injured or killed -
Nixon takes office
his peace delegation firmly believed they could break the impasse -
Violence at Kent State
Students threw rocks and bottles at the national guards after Nixons speech then four students were shot by them -
Lt. Calley is convicted
News of the My Lai massacre, the coverup, and callys trial shocked many Americans and added fuel to the burning antiwar fire -
Paris Peace Accords
The US, South and North Vietnam and the Vietcong signed it. They agreed to a cease fire and a US troop withdraw from South Vietnam
