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Ho Chi Minh declares Vietnam independent
Vietnam wanted independence from France. Political parties formed in Vietnam. Hi Chi Minh was a Vietnamese communist revolutionary leader and formed the Vietminh, whose goal was to win Vietnam's independence from foreign rule. In 1945 the Allied defeat of Japan forced the Japanese to leave Vietnam and the goal was attainable. Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnam an independent country. -
Battle of Dien Bien Phu
Dien Bien Phu was a city in the northwestern region of Vietnam and a siege occurred in 1954 to end influence from the French. The French were trying to retake Vietnam but it was not working even with aid from the United States. The French were forced to surrender when the Vietminh took over the French outpost at Dien Bien Phu. -
Geneva Accords
The Geneva Accords resulted from a conference that focused on resolving the war between France and the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. France, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, the United States, China, Laos, and Cambodia all met with the Vietminh and South Vietnam's anti communist nationalists to create a peace agreement. The Geneva Accords divided Vietnam along the 17th parallel. Ho Chi Minh controlled North Vietnam and the Pro-Western regime controlled South Vietnam. -
Gulf of Tonkin
The Gulf of Tonkin incident was an international confrontation that led to the United Stares engaging more directly in the Vietnam War. The incident was sparked when a North Vietnamese boat fired a torpedo at an American ship, the USS Maddox. The attack led President Johnson to send bombing strikes on North Vietnam. It led to the Gulf of Tonkin resolution that allowed President Johnson to take any measures that were necessary to retaliate and promote international peace. -
Tet Offensive
The Tet Offensive was the largest military campaign of the Vietnam War against South Vietnam and the US comprised of surprise attacks against military and civilian command. Funerals were being held in South Vietnam for war victims and villagers were carrying coffins. The coffins actually had weapons inside and the villagers were actually Vietcong agents. The Vietcong launched the attack that night and the Tet offensive continued for a month before the US and South Vietnam regained control. -
My Lai Massacre
The My Lai Massacre was the mass murder of unarmed Vietnamese civilians by United States troops in South Vietnam. Lieutenant William Calley Jr. had commanded a US platoon to massacre innocent civilians in the small village of My Lai in South Vietnam. The lieutenant had been searching for Vietcong rebels. Most of the villagers who were killed were women, children, and elderly men. Lieutenant William Calley Jr. was convicted and imprisoned for what he had done. -
Woodstock
Woodstock was a music festival in the United States in 1969 which attracted more than 400,000 people. It was held in August on a dairy farm in southern New York State. The music festival lasted for 4 days and 32 acts performed. It is thought of as a big moment in music history and was a big deal for the counterculture generation. It allowed people to come together and enjoy something they loved, music, together. -
Kent State
The Kent State shooting occurred when unarmed students demonstrating against US involvement in the war were fired on by the National Guard. A huge student protest had led to the ROTC building being burnt down. In response, the mayor called in the National Guard. The Guards fired ammunition into a group of student protesters who were throwing rocks at them. 4 students were killed and 9 were wounded. 2 of the victims had not even been participants of the rally. -
Paris Peace Agreement
The Paris Peace Agreement was a peace treaty signed to create peace in Vietnam and end the Vietnam War. It included the governments of North Vietnam, South Vietnam, and the United States. The treaty ended direct US military action and stopped the fighting between North and South Vietnam temporarily. The agreement was not ratified by the United States Senate. -
Fall of Saigon
After the United States left Vietnam, the cease fire agreement between North and South Vietnam collapsed. North Vietnam launched a full blown invasion against South Vietnam. The United States refused to send troops to help but provided economic aid. A month later, North Vietnamese tanks came into Saigon and captured the city. Not long after, South Vietnam surrendered to North Vietnam.
